Now into the third week of the Israeli ceasefire with Lebanon, the situation seems no more settled than it had been. Israeli forces continue to operate across southern Lebanon, their drones carry out attacks, and Israeli military bulldozers are now conducting operations to demolish civilian homes in southern towns and villages.
The 60-day ceasefire is supposed to see Israel withdraw its troops from Lebanon by the end of that time. Though some Israeli troops have been redeployed, others remain, and are continuing operations. The reports from the coastal town of Naqoura are that Israeli troops have fired bursts of machine gun fire, and the bulldozers have destroyed multiple homes.
Naqoura is in the Tyre District, and only about 4 km from the border crossing into Israel. Israel has been keen to establish a “buffer zone” inside southern Lebanon and those efforts seem not to have stopped even though the war is supposed to be over.
Other demolitions of homes were reported in the village of Kfarkila, where what few homes were left standing during the war are being leveled. Kfarkila is also extremely close to the border.
Much of Israel’s military operations in southern Lebanon during the war appeared to also be designed around the creation of this buffer zone. Reports are that Israel fired around 200 white phosphorus bombs in the south during the past year.
White phosphorus would be legal if used as a smokescreen for troops, but it’s use as an incendiary weapon would violate international law. There is significant evidence that Israel was using the phosphorus bombs to clear out populated areas. Indeed, many of those white phosphorus strikes were against Lebanese towns and villages also in this desired buffer zone.
The demolitions are only one aspect of the continued Israeli military operations inside Lebanon. Today a drone was reported to have attacked a car in Majdal Zoun. Multiple people were wounded there. Israel claims that the strike eliminated a Hezbollah threat, and claimed he was putting weapons in the car. Israel further went on to say that the weapons amounted to a violation by the Lebanese side in the ceasefire.
Israel’s allegations of ceasefire violations by Lebanon and Hezbollah have mostly involved Lebanese civilians trying to return home to southern towns, and vehicles operating south of the Litani River. Israel, by contrast, has committed a large number of direct violations with military attacks on Lebanese territory. At least 20 Lebanese people have been killed in Israeli military operations since the ceasefire began.
