A Lebanese civil defense member inspects the site of an Israeli airstrike on the southern village of Khiam near the Lebanese border with northern Israel on June 26, 2024. (Credit: AFP)
Lebanese Civil Defense teams recovered Saturday the body of Ali Zaher, a resident of Khiam in the Marjayoun district, who Israel killed during the last war, our correspondent in southern Lebanon reported. This marked the eighth body recovered from Khiam since the Israeli army withdrew from the area and was replaced by the Lebanese Army on Dec. 11.
In a separate incident, the mayor of Bani Hayyan, also in Marjayoun, informed L'Orient Today that UNIFIL forces, specifically the French battalion, along with the Lebanese Red Cross, entered the town of Bani Hayyan and successfully rescued citizen Fayrouz Jaber. She was found alive after being reported missing for several days following the Israeli army's offensive in the area. She was transported to Tibnin Governmental Hospital for medical treatment. Jaber had returned to her hometown after the cease-fire was declared and remained there alone, despite threats from the Israeli military.
Khiam was the scene of intense fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli army from late October until the cease-fire on Nov. 27. Israel launched its ground offensive in southern Lebanon on Sept. 30, occupying several border towns. the Lebanese Army is set to deploy south of the Litani River, in line with U.N. Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to end the July war with Israel.
During this period, the Lebanese Army would deploy south of the Litani River, under U.N. Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to put an end to the July war with Israel.
Despite the cease-fire taking effect nearly a month ago and the establishment of a monitoring committee chaired by a U.S. general, Israeli violations persist daily. These include regular overflights, shelling of localities, demolition of houses, expansion of deployments and attacks on the Lebanese Army.
On Saturday morning, Israeli forces used bulldozers to destroy a Lebanese Army border post in Naqoura, in the Sour district near the western border.
Reporting contributed by Muntasser Abdallah