'Israel' destroyed hundreds of houses in Leb despite ceasefire: WashPo

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Washington Post
19 Jan 2025 15:01
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The ceasefire in Lebanon has been undermined by the Israeli military through infiltrations into new positions and widespread destruction of residential structures, not to mention the killing of 27 civilians.

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Smoke rises as Israeli occupation forces demolish residential homes in Khiam, southern Lebanon on December 1, 2024. (AFP)

The Washington Post highlighted in a new report that despite a 60-day ceasefire agreement between "Israel" and Lebanon, the Israeli military has significantly violated the terms, raising concerns about the truce’s stability and "Israel's" intentions.

The agreement, which required both sides to withdraw from border regions, has reportedly been undermined by the Israeli military through infiltrations into new positions and widespread destruction, not to mention the killing of civilians.

Key Israeli violations

Extensive damage to infrastructure

Satellite imagery and open-source data indicate that "Israel" damaged or destroyed more than 800 buildings in a 200-square-mile area, surpassing the destruction seen during the active cross-border battle in late 2023.

Controlled demolitions and strikes

Verified videos show Israeli invading units conducting controlled demolitions and using bulldozers to destroy civilian structures. Over 400 air, missile, and artillery strikes were carried out during the ceasefire, according to war monitoring groups. Reports also highlighted the destruction of a church and damage to mosques in Yaroun, along with significant damage to civilian homes and a UN school, WaPo wrote.

#بالفيديو | عدد من آليات الاحتلال تقدم من جديد باتجاه أطراف بلدة عيترون من الجهة الشرقية عبر الطريق الواصل بين عيترون وبليدا.#الميادين_لبنان #لبنان pic.twitter.com/YV2Hdl8aEF
— الميادين لبنان (@mayadeenlebanon) November 30, 2024

Civilian casualties

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has reported that at least 27 people were killed resulting from Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began.

The IOF have also reportedly infiltrated new areas, including the coastal town of Naqoura, where they destroyed dense forests, significantly altering territorial control.

Lebanese officials, including Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, have denounced the Israeli actions, reporting over 800 violations in the early weeks of the truce. “They are violating the ceasefire agreement. I hope they stop and withdraw from southern Lebanon quickly,” Bou Habib stated.

The agreement brokered with US backing, aimed to halt the Israeli aggression. However, US officials have acknowledged challenges in implementing the deal and are working to extend the truce beyond its January 26 expiration.

The Israeli violations have cast doubt on the ceasefire’s effectiveness, with the durability of the agreement hanging in the balance as diplomatic efforts to maintain the deal continue.