Israeli Forces Push On With Demolitions in Southern Lebanon
Israeli troops continue demolishing buildings in southern Lebanon's Zawtar al-Sharqieh, drawing objections from Lebanese officials amid ongoing negotiations.
Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon continued on Thursday, with troops seen demolishing civilian infrastructure in the town of Zawtar al-Sharqieh. Smoke billowed from demolition sites as tanks and military vehicles moved through the area, according to footage from the scene.
The ongoing activity comes as Lebanon and Israel work through the implementation of a U.S.-backed framework agreement. The town sits adjacent to a newly established pilot zone under the agreement, which envisions a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese army taking over and Hezbollah disarming.
On Wednesday, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli forces had blown up a four-story public school in the town. A large explosion was also observed from Bani Hayan, a village within the area known as the Yellow Line, a buffer zone Israel has established in southern Lebanon.
The municipal council of Bani Hayan said Israeli troops also detonated a municipal building, a children's nursery, and an NGO center, describing the destruction as a "heinous crime."
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the demolitions. Lebanese officials have raised objections to the continued destruction of homes and other buildings while negotiations over expanding the pilot zones remain underway.