Israel strikes south Lebanon and along Syria's border despite ceasefire agreement

Ahram Online , Saturday 30 Nov 2024

Despite the ceasefire agreement, Israel has launched strikes in southern Lebanon and along the Syria-Lebanon border.

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This picture taken from a position in northern Israel shows an Israeli tank taking position inside Lebanon on the other side of the border. AFP

 

Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli strike on a vehicle in south Lebanon on Saturday wounded three people, including a child.

"An Israeli enemy strike on a car in Majdal Zoun wounded three people including a seven-year-old child," the health ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli military struck what it claimed were "military infrastructure sites adjacent to border crossings between Syria and Lebanon." 

However, such actions fall outside Israel's mandate under the US-France-brokered deal. 

A multinational monitoring group was established to oversee compliance with the ceasefire, including representatives from the US, France, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

According to the agreement, Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days gradually. 

However, the situation remains unstable, with Israeli forces occupying parts of southern Lebanon and warning displaced residents to stay away.

An overnight curfew has also been imposed across the area. 

Lebanese authorities reported scattered incidents of Israeli mortar fire and strikes.

On Friday, during a funeral in the town of Khiam, Israeli forces opened fire on mourners and even confiscated the body of the deceased. In the past three days, four people were abducted in Tayr Harfa.

Additionally, drones have been hovering above Tyre and other areas in the south.

Hours before the ceasefire took effect, Israeli strikes on the Syrian-Lebanese border killed seven people, including two Syrian soldiers, a child, and a Syrian Red Crescent volunteer, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), AFP said.

Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syria in recent years and intensified its raids since the year-long war escalated in September.

According to SOHR director Rami Abdel Rahman, 89 raids were carried out on Syrian targets since 26 September, as reported by AFP.

As the ceasefire took effect on Wednesday, Lebanese and Syrian authorities announced the start of repair works on the border crossings targeted in recent weeks.

"Construction work...has begun to rehabilitate and reopen the Masnaa road at the Lebanese-Syrian border crossing," Lebanon Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamie said in a statement on X.

Syria's official SANA news agency also reported work was underway to rehabilitate the crossing.

"The Damascus Countryside Governorate begins rehabilitation work on the international road linking the Jdeidet Yabous crossing and the Lebanese border and filling craters left by the Israeli aggression," SANA said.

Perched on the Mediterranean Sea and with Israel to its south, the only land routes in and out of Lebanon run through Syria.

Lebanon relies on the crossings for import and export of goods and travel.

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