Israeli military posts map of areas in south Lebanon where it is operating
The Israeli military on Sunday published a map of where its forces are operating in southern Lebanon. The map shows where Israel has taken control amid a ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Reuters reported that Israeli troops destroyed abandoned Lebanese villages in this area. Israel says this is being done to protect “direct threats to communities in northern Israel” from Hezbollah.
The war between Israel and Hezbollah started on March 2, when the group launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for joint U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.
Israel invaded Lebanon after that. More than 2,300 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war began and more than 1 million people displaced, The Associated Press reported.
Just hours after the 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight on Thursday, Lebanese officials said Israel violated the deal. On Friday, there was smoke rising from at least one village in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces, according to the Lebanese army, carried out what it called “a number of acts of aggression.”
Then on Saturday, the Israeli military conducted aerial and ground strikes in southern Lebanon, saying there were several incidents where militants approached areas near Israeli troops, according to the AP.
Also on Saturday, a United Nations peacekeeping force was attacked with small arms fire. One peacekeeper from France died and three others were injured. While French President Emmanuel Macron and the peacekeeping force said Hezbollah was responsible, the militant group denied being involved.
Despite the tension, displaced Lebanese citizens are making their way home.
Hassan Najdi, a 28-year-old electrical engineer who returned to the town of Srifa, which was heavily damaged from Israeli airstrikes, told The Guardian that “everything has changed a lot.”
“The features of the place are completely different. When you first enter the village, you can’t even recognise that this is the Srifa it used to be,” Najdi said.
Picture shows Israeli soldier damaging Christ statue
After verifying a photograph of one of their soldiers destroying a statue of Jesus Christ on a cross in Lebanon, the Israeli military said it is now investigating what happened.
The photo, which was taken in Debel, shows the statue is upside down. An Israeli soldier in the picture can be seen hitting Christ’s head with what appears to be an ax.
“We certainly condemn this shameful act because it offends our religious feelings and is an attack on our sacred beliefs,” Maroun Nassif, the deputy head of the Debel municipality, said to CNN.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it views the incident with “great severity.”
“The soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops,” it said on X. “The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being addressed through the chain of command. Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings. Furthermore, the IDF is working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place.”
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
