Israel intensifies southern Lebanon attacks with airstrikes, shelling

Israeli forces intensified attacks across southern Lebanon on Thursday, launching airstrikes on the Tyre district and carrying out artillery shelling and ground incursions in several areas while demolishing homes and infrastructure, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

Airstrikes and artillery bombardment

Israeli warplanes struck the town of Mansouri in the Tyre district on Thursday, while heavy artillery targeted the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Doha Kfar Rumman in the Nabatieh district. Warplanes also hit the outskirts of Zawtar al-Sharqiya, and earlier targeted the Harj Ali Taher area with two separate strikes.

Ground incursions and demolitions

Israeli forces used barrels containing highly destructive explosives to demolish homes and infrastructure in the Al-Musha area between Mansouri and Majdal Zoun. A Merkava tank and D9 bulldozer advanced into Mansouri, while military vehicles transported booby-trapped containers toward the area, and an Israeli drone dropped sound bombs on the Azziyeh-Mansouri road.

In a separate incursion, Israeli troops advanced into Halta Farm in the Hasbaya district, surrounding several homes and preventing residents from leaving, the agency reported. Earlier on Thursday, Israeli forces carried out explosions in the towns of Hadatha and Wadi Baraachit.

Strategic occupation and diplomatic rift

The Israeli army stated that its forces had achieved "operational control" above and below ground in the Ali al-Taher heights in southern Lebanon, adding that troops from the 36th Division worked to "clear two underground routes" in what it described as being inside the "security zone."

The army claimed that a number of Hezbollah members were killed during the operation while others fled, and that operations in the "security zone" would continue. Israeli daily Maariv last week quoted a security source saying that Israel does not intend to withdraw from the Ali al-Taher heights despite US pressure, a position that runs counter to the Washington-sponsored negotiation track.

Israel's assault on Lebanon has continued since early March, killing more than 4,000 people and injuring over 12,000 others, besides displacing more than 1 million people, according to Lebanese authorities. Tensions along the border have persisted despite diplomatic efforts to stabilize the area and US-led contacts between Lebanon and Israel aimed at reaching security arrangements.