Sayyed Khamenei, regional sides hail Lebanese, condemn IOF assaults

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
26 Jan 2025 22:51

The spokesperson for the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement saluted "the courage of the resistant people of southern Lebanon."

Listen

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) armored vehicle, an Israeli military jeep, ambulances, as well as a Lebanese army armored vehicle are parked on either side of an earth barricade in Borj al-Molouk on January 26, 2025, on a road leading to Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon, where displaced residents are gathered in the hope of returning to their homes (AFP)

All political equations and material calculations have been crushed by the "faithful and devoted" people in southern Lebanon, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, stressed on Sunday.

In a post on his official account on X, Sayyed Khamenei added that the people of southern Lebanon "were undeterred by the usurping Zionist army" and courageously stepped into the field with selflessness and trust in the Divine promise.

اليوم، سُحقت كلّ المعادلات السياسيّة والحسابات الماديّة أمام الشعب المؤمن والمخلص في جنوبي #لبنان، الذي لم يَعْبَأ بالجيش الصهيوني الغاصب، وحمل روحه إلى الميدان بإيثار وثقة بالوعد الإلهي.#شعب_المقاومة_العظيم
— الإمام الخامنئي (@ar_khamenei) January 26, 2025

On its part, the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, affirmed that the people of southern Lebanon have crafted a heroic epic by storming the Israeli occupation's checkpoints, liberating their land, and returning to it in spite of the occupation.

Hamas stated that the people of the south "offered dozens of martyrs and wounded since the early hours of the day, reaffirming their steadfastness in their land, villages, properties, and homes, which they will never abandon, nor will they allow the occupation forces to remain under false pretexts and excuses."

The movement condemned the Israeli assaults on the civilian residents of southern Lebanon returning to their border villages. It called on the international community and Arab and Islamic nations to urgently intervene to protect the people and compel the occupation forces to withdraw from the south and implement the agreement, particularly Resolution 1701.

In yet another blatant and documented Israeli assault, a Merkava tank went after unarmed Lebanese civilians in #Odaisseh, who were trying to return home following the end of the 60-day withdrawal deadline for Israeli occupation forces as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement… pic.twitter.com/rjOVr6rOFt
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 26, 2025

The Palestinian group also extended its greetings and appreciation to the Lebanese people, particularly the convoys of returnees to the southern villages still under Zionist occupation, despite the expiration of the 60-day withdrawal deadline.

Elsewhere, Hamas expressed its solidarity and support for Lebanon—its people, army, and Resistance—in confronting aggression.

On his part, Mohammad Abdul Salam, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, saluted "the courage of the resistant people of southern Lebanon."

Abdul Salam also strongly condemned the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces on Sunday, including opening fire on southern Lebanese and killing and injuring several of them, in "a desperate and futile attempt" to prevent their return.

Earlier, the Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed that the toll from Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon on Sunday has risen to 22 martyrs, including six women, and 124 others injured, including 12 women, nine children, and a paramedic.

The ministry said Israeli occupation forces opened fire on "citizens who were trying to return to their villages that are still under [Israeli] occupation."

The martyrs were distributed as follows: five in Aytaroun, three in Houla, four in Maarakeh, four in Kfar Kila, one in Odaisseh, one in Blida, and three in Mays al-Jabal. Among the victims was a Lebanese army soldier, Mohammad Youssef Zohour, who was killed in the town of al-Dhayrah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had announced that the Israeli military would not meet the deadline set for its withdrawal from southern Lebanon, in a breach of the terms of the ceasefire agreement that ended the war.

Under the ceasefire agreement, the Lebanese Army is required to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon as the Israeli military completes its withdrawal over a 60-day period.

Hezbollah is obligated to pull its forces back north of the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.