Army confirms there are 'no weapons' in Yanouh building

SOUTH LEBANON — The Lebanese Army command confirmed in a statement released Sunday that "it has been established that there are neither weapons nor ammunition inside the building" in Yanouh, South Lebanon, which it had searched on Saturday.

On Dec. 13, a dispute broke out between residents of this village in the Sour district and UNIFIL peacekeepers.

The incident began in the morning when the army, in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, inspected a residence in Yanouh, Sour district, at the request of the cease-fire monitoring committee (known as the 'mechanism'), according to our correspondent in South Lebanon.

As the soldiers and the international force were preparing to leave the site empty-handed, an Israeli drone flew over the area and UNIFIL received a request to conduct another search. The decision angered the homeowner who, along with other local residents, tried to forcibly drive the peacekeepers away and prevent them from entering again.

The military points out that, "following Israeli threats, a second search was conducted and confirmed the absence of weapons and ammunition," adding that "a patrol remained stationed in front of the building to prevent any Israeli attack."

The army command thanked "the residents for their trust and cooperation," and the cease-fire monitoring committee "for making the necessary contacts to stop any aggression."

"This incident proves more than ever that the only way to preserve stability is to unite our efforts, demonstrate unwavering national solidarity with the army, respect Resolution 1701 and the cease-fire agreement, in coordination with the Mechanism (monitoring committee) and UNIFIL, during a difficult period that demands maximum vigilance and a sense of responsibility," the statement added.

Reporting by our regional correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah.