Above photo: An Israeli tank in the town of Khiam. 29 November, 2024. Telegram/Ali Shoeib.
The Israeli military has pushed further into Khiam and Markaba in southern Lebanon while continuing to open fire at residents.
Israeli forces continued to violate the ceasefire with Lebanon on 29 November, advancing on the southern towns of Markaba and Khiam and opening fire at citizens during a funeral – following continuous violations since the agreement went into effect two days ago.
“Israeli forces advanced today to the town square of Markaba, which they were unable to enter during the days of the confrontations, and occupied it now during the ceasefire, and the [Israeli] army is carrying out bulldozing operations and destroying roads. Civilians were present in the town yesterday,” Al Manar correspondent Ali Shoeib reported.
Preliminary reports of two citizens being kidnapped by Israeli troops were later refuted.
Al Manar’s correspondent clarified that “no Lebanese citizens were abducted in Khiam; what happened is that Israeli forces opened fire at citizens during a funeral.”
الجيش الإسرائيلي يطلق النار باتجاه مواطنين أثناء دفن جثة في الخيام pic.twitter.com/eXbKpdrs7g
— Al Jadeed News (@ALJADEEDNEWS) November 29, 2024
The correspondent also reported that Israeli troops launched an operation on Friday to expand their presence towards the Khiam cemetery. He said the forces are “exploiting the ceasefire” to carry out bulldozing and demolition operations in areas they were unable to enter during the ground war against Hezbollah.
Israeli forces also uprooted olive trees at a grove in the southern town of Kfar Kila.
An Israeli airstrike targeted the Saida District of southern Lebanon on 28 November, marking the deepest attack on Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect early on Wednesday. The strike on Saida came after the Israeli army carried out several artillery and bombing attacks on the south of Lebanon.
A day earlier, the Israeli army opened fire on a group of Lebanese journalists in Khiam, and attacked displaced residents in other towns as they tried to return to their homes. Israel has threatened displaced Lebanese citizens and warned them against returning.
The Lebanese army has told residents, for their own safety, not to enter villages still occupied by Israeli troops.
Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said in an interview with MTV News on 28 November that the resistance will not “sit and watch” as Israel continues to violate the ceasefire. He added that “we are in an experiment now,” signaling that it is time to determine whether or not the Lebanese army is capable of repelling Israel and stopping its violations.
He stressed that there is no issue between Hezbollah and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), adding that Hezbollah welcomes its deployment across all of south Lebanon.
He vowed that the resistance will confront Israel should it decide to go to war against Lebanon again.
Israeli army bombs south Lebanon on second day of ceasefire
At least two were injured in the southern village of Markaba due to an Israeli airstrike, as shelling targeted several other towns
The Israeli military carried out several artillery and bombing attacks on the south of Lebanon on 28 November, marking yet another round of ceasefire violations on the second day after the cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
Some of the aggressions committed by Israel in southern Lebanon today:
○ Bombed a car with a drone injuring 3 people in Markaba.
○ Shelled the town of Taybeh with artillery injuring three citizens, and targeted the Lebanese army with a drone in three waves.
○ Fired three…
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) November 28, 2024
“Israeli enemy artillery is shelling the heights of the town of Halta, Hasbaya district, targeting citizens in the outskirts of the town,” Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported on Thursday afternoon.
Taybeh, Khiam, and the Marjayoun plains were also struck by Israeli artillery, according to NNA.
Three shells were fired at the town of Rmeish, damaging a house and a supermarket. Israeli troops also opened fire on Lebanese citizens trying to return to their homes in Bint Jbeil.
Israeli tanks shelled the towns of Kfar Shuba and Wazzani as well. At least two Lebanese citizens were injured in an airstrike on the town of Markaba.
The Lebanese army warned displaced residents of southern border villages on Wednesday not to enter areas where Israeli troops are still deployed.
Israeli forces have been violating the ceasefire since it took effect early on 27 November.
The Israeli army opened fire on a group of Lebanese journalists in the southern town of Khiam on 27 November.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli troops also opened fire on Khiam, Kfar Kila, and other towns as displaced residents made their way back.
Israeli Army Radio and Channel 12 reports claimed several people were killed. Lebanese media did not acknowledge any deaths.
Hezbollah said in a statement on Wednesday night “that its fighters from various military specialties will remain fully prepared to deal with the Israeli enemy’s ambitions and attacks, and that their eyes will continue to follow the movements and withdrawals of the enemy’s forces beyond the borders, and their hands will remain on the trigger, in defense of Lebanon’s sovereignty and for the sake of the dignity and honor of its people.”
Lebanese forces announced their deployment across the south on 27 November as part of the ceasefire deal, which is based on the implementation of UN Resolution 1701.
As part of the agreement, Lebanese troops are required to dismantle all Hezbollah infrastructure south of the Litani River, and Israel is required to withdraw its army from Lebanon – all within a period of 60 days.
The entry of weapons into Lebanon and attempts by the resistance to restock weaponry are prohibited in the agreement.
A pre-existing tripartite mechanism, including France and the UNIFIL, has been headed by the US to monitor any violations reported by both Israel and Lebanon.