Israel continues demolitions; Netanyahu, Katz tour occupied territories in south Lebanon

BEIRUT — Once again, a precarious calm, punctuated by sporadic Israeli occupation army operations, prevailed in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, four days after Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement that Hezbollah and its ally Amal categorically reject. Some provisions have also raised concerns among those who do not support the alliance's stance toward the Israeli state or its actions since October 2023.

The day was also marked by a tour by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz through occupied areas in southern Lebanon. The Israeli leader said the army would not leave southern Lebanon "until the threat is eliminated."

"We will not leave southern Lebanon as long as armed Hezbollah is present and threatens us," he said.

According to him, the Israeli occupation army killed "9,000 Hezbollah fighters, including hundreds in recent weeks."

"Hezbollah had 150,000 missiles and rockets, the largest concentration of missiles and rockets in the world. Today, about 8% of those remain," Netanyahu added.

The areas controlled by the Israeli occupation army represent "a paradigm shift," he added.

He ranted on: "Everything, both above ground and underground, that has served them to attack us — infiltration routes, terror tunnels, terror villages — will be destroyed. The order is clear: Leave nothing behind."

"Lebanon recognizes Israel, Israel recognizes Lebanon, and they tell Iran and Hezbollah: 'Get out of here; you have no business here.' These are two sovereign states that wish to make peace, restore security and prosperity to the residents of the North and to all Lebanese," Netanyahu continued.

The day before, Defense Minister Israel Katz had said Israel would remain in South Lebanon until Hezbollah was disarmed and that the border villages the Israeli occupation army was demolishing and burning "must disappear," a remark that caused no international outcry despite its violence.

Israeli demolitions in Markaba, 1 killed in Wadi Hujeir

The Israeli occupation army continued demolishing buildings in occupied villages on Tuesday, notably in Markaba (Marjayoun) and Haddatha (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent, who added that occupation forces also set houses on fire in the locality of Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil).

A man from the village of Touline (Marjayoun), Mohammad Hussein Awala, was killed in the Wadi Hujeir valley after entering the area on a motorcycle despite an earthen barrier erected by the Lebanese Army, according to municipal council president Said Moussa. It remains unclear whether an Israeli drone targeted him or unexploded ordnance struck him.

In the evening, Israeli occupation forces fired three artillery shells into the forest near the locality of Hebbarieh (Hasbaya), while our correspondent reported further demolitions in Markaba. He also observed several Israeli tanks moving in the area known as Shmeis, at the entrance to the village of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya).

In the morning, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade on the village of Braasheet (Bint Jbeil). Israeli occupation forces then fired medium machine guns in Majdal Zoun (Sour). An Israeli occupation army helicopter also dropped a stun grenade on the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal, near Haddatha (Bint Jbeil), targeting tanker truck drivers drawing water from a spring.

A cluster bomb, a remnant of the war, exploded at the same time near a house in the locality of Touline (Marjayoun) without causing any injuries.

These attacks took place despite the June 26 signing of a framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel providing for an initial partial Israeli withdrawal from two "pilot zones" in the South, which are to be handed over to the Lebanese Army.

Reporting by our correspondent in the South, Muntasser Abdallah.