Washington condemns Katz’s claim that Israel will not withdraw from south Lebanon | LIVE

Israel carried out demolition operations in 9 southern localities on Wednesday

The Israeli army carried out demolition operations in nine southern localities on Wednesday, destroying homes and infrastructure, including public buildings and a school in Zawtar Sharqieh, according to a tally of Wednesday’s attacks reported by our correspondent in south Lebanon.

Homes were also set on fire in two localities, while roads and houses were bulldozed in another. Israeli drones also dropped bombs and explosives on four southern localities.

Israeli warplanes carried out a strike on one locality, while a drone targeted another. Ten southern localities were also subjected to intense and sustained artillery fire, with dozens of shells.

South Lebanon: Israeli army continues shelling and demolition operations, strikes Mansouri and Deir Siryan

The Israeli army continued shelling southern Lebanon overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, alongside demolition operations, our correspondent in south Lebanon reports. In the Bint Jbeil district, Beit Yahoun was targeted by machine-gun fire and artillery shells, which also hit Braasheet.

Haddatha came under artillery fire, followed by two demolition operations targeting several homes. Similar machine-gun fire targeted Mansouri (Sour), where the army also carried out a demolition operation targeting homes on communal land, followed by medium-caliber machine-gun fire toward the village.

The Israeli army also carried out a detonation in Khiam (Marjayoun district).

In the evening, a drone dropped explosives on the strategic heights of Ali al-Taher, in the Nabatieh district. Later overnight, Israeli artillery again targeted Ali al-Taher, toward Nabatieh Fawqa, as well as Wadi al-Hujeir in the Marjayoun district.

After midnight, two Israeli army drones exploded in Zawtar Gharbieh, the first in the air above the church and the second near several residents who were alongside Lebanese Army soldiers in the village. After 1 a.m., artillery fire resumed, targeting Wadi Slouki toward Touline in the Marjayoun district, as well as the area between Zawtar Sharqieh and Mayfadoun.

Israeli warplanes also carried out two consecutive strikes on Mansouri, alongside another strike targeting Deir Siryan in the Marjayoun district.

US rebukes Katz after refusal of any Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon

The U.S. State Department late Wednesday criticized Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz after he said earlier that Israel would not “withdraw” from occupied areas of southern Lebanon.

The U.S. administration said such remarks were “not consistent with the commitments made under the agreement” between Beirut and Tel Aviv reached in late June and brokered by Washington.

“The United States expects all parties to act in a manner consistent with the framework they agreed upon, and Israel has clearly stated that it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon,” a State Department official said in a statement sent to journalists seeking a response to Katz’s remarks, according to several Israeli and U.S. media outlets.

“The United States fully supports Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” the official added, stressing that the U.S.-brokered framework between Israel and Lebanon “clearly provides a path, subject to certain conditions, toward a phased redeployment linked to the verified disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantling of its infrastructure.”

“The Lebanese Armed Forces are implementing the first pilot zone, and the United States will continue to support the full implementation of this process,” the official added, referring to Zawtar al-Gharbieh, where the Lebanese Army began deploying two weeks ago following a reported Israeli withdrawal. Israeli forces had previously made incursions into the area before the process began. Israeli troops were nevertheless seen again in the village earlier this week.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of south Lebanon

The Israeli army continues to occupy more than 600 square kilometers along the border and destroy village after village.

We will also follow developments across the Middle East, where tensions remain high between the United States and Iran.