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Lebanon speaker demands action against Israel as troops open fire
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal Movement party is allied with Hezbollah and he served as an interlocutor between the group and the US during ceasefire negotiations.
Berri said in a statement Sunday’s bloodshed “is a clear and urgent call for the international community to act immediately and compel Israel to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territories”.
The Israeli army called for residents of border areas not to attempt to return to their villages. At least three people were killed and more than 40 wounded in Israeli gunfire.
Israeli fire kills Lebanese soldier, wounds another: Lebanon’s army
Lebanon’s army says Israeli fire has killed one Lebanese soldier and wounded another in Meiss el-Jabal village, in southern Lebanon.
It’s the latest death caused by the Israeli army on the day it was supposed to be withdrawing from southern Lebanon to allow residents to return to their homes, as part of a November ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah.
‘This is a crucial scene we’re seeing today’
Ali Mourad, a journalist and political analyst, says war-displaced Lebanese civilians are taking matters into their own hands in a show of defiance against Israeli troops who are attacking them as they attempt to return home.
Footage circulating online shows convoys of vehicles attempting to enter the southern town of Aita al-Shaab, despite the Israeli army repeatedly opening fire on civilians.
“This is remarkable, actually. They are trying to impose an occupation of south Lebanon so the people took a decision to mobilise. The people took the step to make the Israelis reconsider their decision to have a permanent occupation,” Mourad told Al Jazeera.
“The Israelis are now facing the will of the people of south Lebanon. Of course they are risking their lives, but they’re expressing loudly that they’re willing to sacrifice to reach the goal of liberating their villages.
“This is a crucial scene we’re seeing today. They are defying not only the Israeli occupation; they are defying the Trump administration’s decision to greenlight a permanent Israeli occupation of some parts of south Lebanon.”
Lebanese defy Israeli warnings, attempt dangerous return home
Images online show people crossing a barbed-wire fence and entering the southern town of Kfar Kila carrying Hezbollah flags. Some locals were resolute about returning to their Israeli-occupied towns.
“We are determined to enter our villages – whatever the cost may be,” said Fatma, a woman from the southern town of Meiss el-Jabal, as she trekked towards her hometown.
Mohammed, a man from the southern town of Maroun al-Ras, said, “We are here as civilians and not as armed people. We are the people of the land.”
People could be seen entering Maroun al-Ras and standing facing nearby Israeli tanks.
Israeli army attacks kill 11, wound 83 in south Lebanon
At least 11 people have been killed and 83 others injured in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon so far, says the Health Ministry.
- Three killed and 12 wounded in Aitaroun
- One killed and two wounded in Blida
- Three killed and 14 wounded in Hula
- Two killed and 12 wounded in Markaba
- One killed and 15 wounded in Kfar Kila
- One Lebanese soldier killed
- Seven wounded in Meiss el-Jabal
- Two wounded in Bani Hayyan
- Two wounded in Taybeh
- Six wounded in Odaisseh
- Seven wounded in Yaroun
- One wounded in each of the towns of Maroun al-Ras, Shaqra, Deir Mimas, and Rabb Talatin
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