Israeli demolitions in the border village of Halta (Hasbaya). (Photo provided by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)
SOUTH LEBANON — Israeli forces infiltrated the border village of Halta (Hasbaya) at dawn on Wednesday, where they abducted two residents for questioning and detained one of them before imposing a curfew for village residents. Meanwhile, Israel continued to carry out overnight artillery fire and demolition operations across southern Lebanon, according to information from our correspondent in the region.
Heavy gunfire and demolition
In Halta, a hamlet attached to the municipality of Kfar Shuba, an Israeli unit entered the locality under cover of intense machine-gun fire. Several men from the village were abducted for interrogation, similar to what happened during a previous Israeli army infiltration at the beginning of the month.
Israeli forces subsequently carried out demolitions to destroy two houses on the outskirts of the village. They had previously dismantled internet equipment and solar panels installed on rooftops, then conducted bulldozing earthworks and uprooted olive trees in the same area. A curfew was also imposed in the village, with residents forbidden to leave their homes.
These new incidents in Halta have prompted residents to issue a call for help, asking the Lebanese authorities, the Lebanese Army, UNIFIL peacekeepers, and the Lebanese Red Cross to intervene, as Israeli troops are still present in this (predominantly Sunni) locality, our correspondent adds.
New explosions in Mansouri
Elsewhere in the South, Israel carried out a demolition operation between Braasheet and Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil) at dawn on Wednesday, as well as in Mansouri (Sour), which was again targeted multiple times by major overnight explosions before coming under renewed artillery fire.
Israel has focused a large part of its daily demolition operations and strikes on Mansouri, south of Sour, a coastal village split in two by the so-called “Yellow Line” which marks the areas occupied by Israel in the south of the country.
Two more Israeli air strikes also targeted Qantara (Marjayoun), and another targeted Zibqine (Sour) overnight.
Israeli artillery fire also targeted Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh) several times, as well as the outskirts of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun), while a Merkava tank fired several shells toward the Wadi Slouqi valley, another border of the "buffer zone." Machine-gun fire was also reported in Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh) and surrounding areas.
Despite the "cease-fire" announced on June 29 in Lebanon, Israel continues to bomb, destroy homes and infrastructure, uproot olive trees, and set lands on fire across the South on a daily basis. It currently occupies more than 600 km² of Lebanese territory along the southern border.
According to a Tuesday summary of Israeli attacks provided by our correspondent, Israel targeted five locations in southern Lebanon with airstrikes, thirteen villages with artillery fire, and conducted demolition operations in four locations.
In its latest official toll, the Health Ministry reported that Israel has killed at least 4,383 people and injured 12,406 others since March 2.
Reporting was contributed by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah.