Lebanon accuses Israel of escalating attacks, breaching truce

24/3/2025 6:03

Lebanon accused on Sunday Israel of escalating attacks under various pretexts, particularly in the north and south of the Litani River, causing casualties and destruction.

"The Israeli forces did not stop airstrikes. This morning, engineering and military vehicles crossed the technical fence and carried out excavation operations in Wadi Qatmoun, near the outskirts of the village of Rmeish in southern Lebanon," the Lebanese army's Directorate of Guidance said in a statement.

The army also noted the continued deployment of Israeli troops within Lebanon, condemning it as a "blatant violation of UN Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement."

Also on Sunday, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Israel continues its occupation of key positions within Lebanon and blocks the Lebanese army's deployment south of the Litani River.

In an interview with local newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Berri reiterated that Lebanon remains committed to the ceasefire agreement reached last November, which is backed by the UN, the international community, and Arab states, while Israel is obstructing its execution and seeking to circumvent it.

Berri said Hezbollah has respected the ceasefire agreement, withdrawn from south of the Litani River, and refrained from military action for months, despite repeated Israeli violations, which have extended deep into eastern Lebanon's Bekaa region and the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Since Nov. 27, 2024, a U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel has been in place, ending over a year of hostilities triggered by the war in the Gaza Strip.

Despite the agreement, which requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory, Israeli forces have maintained positions at five key locations along the border beyond the February 18 deadline.

The Israeli military continued to launch intermittent strikes in Lebanon, with the latest taking place on Saturday, which, according to Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center, killed seven people and injured 40 others. The military has repeatedly claimed that such attacks aim to eliminate "threats posed by Hezbollah."