Israeli forces have continued to advance deeper into Lebanon during the ceasefire, despite growing frustrations over violations of the agreement. Israel's incursion on Thursday 8 km north of the UN Blue Line that marks the border between Israel and Lebanon was accompanied by automatic gunfire, according to Lebanese state news, prompting residents of nearby villages to flee.
The incursion exceeds the maximum extent of Israeli ground occupation in the area during the war, a Lebanese army official said, the Financial Times quoted. The Israeli advance comes nearly halfway through a 60-day implementation period for the US-brokered ceasefire agreement, which calls for the withdrawal of the Israeli military and the Hezbollah militant group from southern Lebanon.
Israeli demolition of houses in the occupied border strip, using explosives or bulldozers, has also been an almost daily occurrence since the ceasefire took effect. So far, Israel has only withdrawn from the Lebanese village of Khiam before advancing Lebanese army units tasked with enforcing the terms of the deal.
So, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon expressed concern about the damage caused by Israeli forces in the south of the country, despite a ceasefire in the war with Hezbollah, reports Reuters.
The ceasefire took effect on November 27, about two months after Israel stepped up its bombing campaign and later sent troops into Lebanon following nearly a year of cross-border firefights launched by Hezbollah over the Gaza war.
Lebanon's army condemned on Thursday " Israel's violation of the ceasefire agreement by attacking Lebanese sovereignty and destroying southern towns and villages ".
Under the cease-fire agreement, UNIFIL peacekeepers and the Lebanese army were to redeploy in southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border, after Israeli forces withdrew for more than 60 days. (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
