Israeli attacks and destruction intensify in occupied ‘buffer zone’

SOUTH LEBANON; BEKAA — After a tumultuous night and explosions at dawn, the Israeli army continued its airstrikes, artillery fire and demolitions in southern Lebanon on Friday afternoon. Fighter jets bombed the al-Deir neighborhood and Nabatieh Fawqa in the Nabatieh district. Another airstrike hit Wadi Hujeir (Bint Jbeil), our correspondent in southern Lebanon reported. In West Bekaa, a drone was seen flying low over villages, according to our correspondent in the region.

Israeli artillery fire also hit the outskirts of Zawtar Sharqieh, near the agricultural lands of Mayfadoun, where an Israeli bulldozer was seen carrying out earthmoving operations. Shelling also struck Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh).

The Israeli army continued systematically destroying homes. An explosion was heard in Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil), while homes were set on fire in Qantara (Marjayoun), Arnoun and Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh).

Elsewhere, near Burj al-Mulouk in Marjayoun, within the so-called “yellow line” zone, an Israeli patrol advanced near the Maroun Salameh press, where empty tents belonging to displaced Syrians are located.

A tumultuous night in the South

The night was more tumultuous than previous nights in southern Lebanon, with renewed violence in the early morning hours in areas under Israeli occupation in the Marjayoun, Sour, Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil districts.

A large explosion was heard at dawn Friday in Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh). Its cause has not yet been determined. According to our correspondent, no ambulance was dispatched because of the risks of approaching the site, leaving information about possible casualties unconfirmed. Another explosion had been heard in the same village at midnight the previous day. Almost simultaneously, an Israeli Merkava tank fired several shells at Mansouri (Sour).

In the morning, the Israeli army directed heavy fire from medium-caliber machine guns and artillery at the outskirts of Wadi Slouqi, the valley separating the Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil districts. At the edge of the valley, occupying forces set fire to woodland on the outskirts of Qantara. An hour earlier, a large explosion shook Majdal Zoun (Sour) and was heard in surrounding villages. Kfar Tibnit also came under machine gun fire, while artillery fire targeted Majdal Selm, Qantara and Houla (Marjayoun).

These attacks coincide with an increase in threats against Lebanon by Israeli officials in recent days, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday. High-stakes Israeli parliamentary elections will be held Oct. 27.

Qantara and Wadi Hujeir had already been hit overnight after 10 p.m. An hour later, Israeli artillery targeted Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh), Mansouri (Sour), and Haddatha, Braasheet and Shaqra (Bint Jbeil). Shells also landed elsewhere in the Bint Jbeil district around midnight, notably in Rshaf and Srabbine.

According to the previous day's tally, Israeli raids destroyed buildings in four southern villages, artillery fire hit 12 localities and occupying forces carried out demolitions using explosives in four others. In Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil) alone, dozens of explosions hit homes and infrastructure, according to our correspondent.

Reporting contributed by our correspondent in the South, Muntasser Abdallah, and our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sara Abdallah