Ministry of Public Works begins repairing bridges and other infrastructure destroyed by Israel

BEIRUT — The Ministry of Public Works announced in a statement on Friday that it began field operations at 3 a.m. to restore roads and other infrastructure damaged or destroyed by Israeli strikes during the war between Israel and Hezbollah since March 2, which has been halted by a cease-fire that took effect at midnight.

The operation was launched “with the authorization of the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon” and was described by the ministry as “a race against time to ensure the safety of citizens and the resumption of economic activity,” as the Israeli army had targeted and bombed multiple access routes and bridges leading to southern Lebanon in an effort to isolate that part of the country from the rest.

At the northern entrance to Sour, the ministry said it had reopened the Qasmieh bridge on the international highway and opened an additional route connecting the highway at Burj Rahhal to the coastal road leading to Sour, in order to improve traffic flow to the city and its surroundings.

The ministry also cleared and reopened roads and other access routes in several towns and villages in southern Lebanon, including the Nabatieh road network, the main road in Kfar Tebnit, roads in Toul and Sawaneh, the axis passing through Maaroub, Arzoun, Chhour and Srifa, the axis connecting Zrarieh to Burj al-Shemali and then to Sour, the area surrounding Tibnin Hospital, and finally the road connecting Housh to Sour.