Illustrative image.
The Lebanese military has dismantled “over 90%” of Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the south of the country since a ceasefire brokered by the United States entered into effect last November, a security official told AFP on April 30.
“We have dismantled over 90% of the infrastructure in the area south of the Litani,” the unnamed official said.
The dismantling of Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon was one of the main terms of the ceasefire that put an end to more than 14 months of fighting between the group and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The agreement also specified that the group should move its fighters north of the Litani River.
Under the agreement, only United Nations peacekeepers and the Lebanese military should be deployed in the country’s south.
The official who spoke with AFP said that much of Hezbollah’s robust underground infrastructure in the south had been “filled and closed” by the military.
They added that soldiers had also reinforced their control of crossing points into the area south of the Litani “to prevent the transfer of weapons from the north of the river to the south.”
With regard to Hezbollah, the official told the news agency that the group had been cooperating with the Lebanese military. .
“Hezbollah withdrew and said ‘do whatever you want’… there is no longer a military [infrastructure] for Hezbollah south of the Litani,” the official said.
The official also noted that most of the munitions found by the military in southern Lebanon were either “damaged” by Israeli strikes or “in such bad shape that it is impossible to stock them,” prompting the troops to detonate them.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in an interview with Sky News Arabia on the same day that the military was now in control of over 85% of the country’s south.
Aoun, on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, said the Lebanese military was “fulfilling its role without any problems or opposition,” and charged that the single obstacle to the full deployment of soldiers across the border area was “Israel’s occupation of five border positions.”
Hezbollah began launching attacks against the IDF on October 8 of 2023, a day after its ally, the Palestinian Hamas Movement, launched a surprise attack from the Gaza Strip into Israel. After taking heavy losses in the confrontation, the group agreed to the ceasefire proposed by the U.S.
According to the agreement, which entered into effect on November 27, Israel was also supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon by February 18. Nevertheless, the IDF is still present at five strategic posts close to Israel’s border. The military also continues to launch strikes against Hezbollah, citing alleged threats to Israel’s safety.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said last month that the IDF would remain stationed at the five posts in southern Lebanon, deemed important for Israel’s safety, “indefinitely.”
It is unclear if the claims made by the official who spoke with AFP are true, or just an attempt to prevent Israel from escalating any further against Lebanon.
Aside from an unprovoked strike that targeted the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on April 27, the IDF tuned down its operations in the country in recent days.
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i hope rami makhlouf bought the insolvent hezbollah.
well done that should make it easier for the zionist gangsters to occupy the area, ceasefire what ceasefire? israel never stopped attacking.
awesome idea!
that dismantled army thing worked out so well for syria. why wouldn’t lebanon want to do the same thing?
that was a mistake, it was the only thing keeping israel from annexing southern lebanon up to the litani river.
“axis of resistance”…heheheh
the thieving kiddie killing kike roaches are notching up some awesome karma. the whole planet has had a bellyful of their entitled arrogance.