Lebanese army removes explosives, barriers set by Israeli forces in southern Tyre district

The Lebanese army said Sunday that it had removed “explosive engineering obstacles” placed by Israeli forces in the southern towns of Alma al-Shab and Labbouneh.

“As part of its ongoing efforts to address repeated Israeli violations, a unit from the Lebanese Army worked in the areas of Alma al-Shab and Labbouneh, in the Tyre district, to dismantle obstacles placed by the Israeli military to block a road inside Lebanese territory,” a military statement said.

The unit also defused two explosive devices used to booby-trap the barriers, it added.

The statement noted that “army command continues efforts to address hostile violations in close coordination with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), while the Israeli enemy persists in its attacks on various Lebanese regions and violations of Lebanese security.”

A fragile ceasefire had been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict last September.

Lebanese authorities reported more than 1,384 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including at least 117 fatalities and more than 366 injuries.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after it refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.