Israeli offensive continues in southern Lebanon unabated, with airstrikes, burning homes

The Israeli army carried out airstrikes and detonated and set fire to homes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, continuing its violations of the ceasefire agreement, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

Israeli forces carried out offensives by detonating and burning homes in the towns of Majdal Zoun and Al-Mansouri in South Governorate, as well as nearby valleys, the agency reported.

Israeli aircraft also targeted Al-Mansouri overnight in two waves, with explosions heard in the city of Tyre, it added.

On Wednesday evening, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam rejected Israel’s justifications for destroying villages and towns, saying that considering entire villages as Hezbollah military facilities does not stand up to any logic and amounts to a serious violation of the principles and rules of international law.

Salam said Israel is carrying out attacks, incursions, bulldozing operations and destruction of homes, residential neighborhoods, infrastructure, government buildings and places of worship.

The Lebanese army also said Wednesday that continued Israeli attacks on the south are obstructing the completion of its deployment and the return of residents, pointing to Israeli forces detonating civilian facilities and homes in Eastern Zawtar in Nabatieh province.

Despite the signing of a framework agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv on June 26 under US sponsorship, Israel continues its assault on Lebanon, which began on March 2 and has killed 4,335 people and injured 12,277 others.

The agreement provides for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territory in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army there, as well as the disarmament of armed groups, in reference to Hezbollah.

Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the previous war between 2023 and 2024, while during the current assault it advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory.