Mansouri Rocked by Explosions as Israeli Strikes Intensify in Southern Lebanon
Explosions hit Lebanon's Mansouri as Israeli drones drop devices, raising fears over displaced residents' return.
The southern Lebanese town of Mansouri was hit by a series of powerful explosions on Friday, with local footage showing plumes of smoke rising across the area. The blasts, captured from the neighbouring town of Hennieh, were accompanied by the presence of Israeli military drones carrying what appeared to be explosive devices.
The strikes extended through large parts of Mansouri, a town that has faced repeated Israeli shelling and aerial attacks in recent weeks. Similar patterns of destruction have been observed across other areas under Israeli military occupation, where entire blocks of buildings and infrastructure have been levelled.
The sustained operations have raised serious concerns that residents displaced from these communities may not be able to return home in the foreseeable future.
The escalation comes amid a fragile and complex backdrop. Lebanon and Israel, which maintain no diplomatic relations, entered into rare direct negotiations following the outbreak of the latest conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah on March 2. The hostilities began after Hezbollah fired missiles over the border, two days after coordinated strikes by the United States and Iran on Iranian territory.
In response, Israel launched an aerial bombardment campaign and a ground invasion, and currently occupies a significant portion of southern Lebanon. A U.S.-mediated framework agreement was signed in June, outlining an Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas in exchange for Hezbollah's disarmament. However, implementation on the ground has seen little tangible progress, leaving the region in a state of heightened volatility.