Israel continues attacks on southern Lebanon with airstrikes, home explosions, artillery fire

The Israeli army continued attacks Thursday in southern Lebanon, carrying out airstrikes, blowing up homes, firing artillery and conducting machine-gun sweeps, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA).

The attacks targeted the towns of Al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun in the Tyre district; Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Nabatieh al-Fawqa in the Nabatieh district; Haddatha in the Bint Jbeil district; and the Zahrani area in Sidon district.

In the Tyre district, Israeli warplanes struck Al-Mansouri as Israeli forces carried out massive explosions in the town, according to the agency.

The blasts caused powerful tremors and were heard in the city of Tyre and surrounding villages, it said.

Israeli forces had earlier rigged several homes in Al-Mansouri with explosives before blowing them up, the agency added.

The Israeli army also carried out a large explosion in the town of Majdal Zoun in the district.

In the Nabatieh district, NNA said Israeli warplanes struck the outskirts of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah overnight and carried out another strike near the Scout City on the town’s outskirts.

The Ali al-Taher heights on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa also came under intermittent Israeli artillery fire.

In the Bint Jbeil district, Israeli forces carried out machine-gun sweeps toward the town of Haddatha as Israeli military vehicles moved through the area.

An Israeli drone was also seen flying at low altitude above the Zahrani area in the Sidon district.

The agency did not report casualties from the Israeli attacks.

On June 26, Beirut and Tel Aviv signed a US-sponsored “framework formula” in Washington providing for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the deployment of the Lebanese army in areas vacated by Israeli forces.

Despite the agreement, Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon have continued, while Israel still occupies areas in the south, some for decades and others seized during recent wars and military operations.

Since March 2, Israel’s offensive on Lebanon has killed at least 4,386 people, injured 12,413 and displaced more than 1 million, according to Lebanese authorities.