Conflict in southern Lebanon: Israeli expands occupation beyond military boundary

The next round of United States-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon has been postponed as Israeli forces continue to strike and demolish buildings across southern Lebanon.

In a sudden visit to the war-stricken southern city of Nabatieh on Saturday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun confirmed that “there will be no new negotiations with Israel at the moment.

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“Withdrawal, the return of prisoners and displaced people, and reconstruction are national principles that we pledge to implement,” he was quoted as saying.

Earlier, the AFP news agency quoted an unnamed US official as saying the next round of talks scheduled for this month in Rome will not be happening until October.

The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors will instead meet at the Department of State next week to discuss the continued implementation of a framework agreement announced in June, the official said.

Under that agreement, the Lebanese army would disarm Hezbollah in so-called “pilot zones”. The Lebanese armed group has rejected direct talks with Israel.

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement pledging their forces would remain in southern Lebanon, to stop Hezbollah re-establishing its presence there.

Campaign of detonations

The same day, Israeli forces detonated 1,100 tonnes of explosives at what they claimed was a Hezbollah central command complex built into the Ali al-Taher Ridge, causing tremors throughout surrounding areas in southern Lebanon.

Nabatieh, which sits below the ridge, has been a strategic flashpoint in the war that Israel says it has gained operational control over after weeks of fighting.

Israeli attacks in the area have killed at least 29 people in the last two weeks, including 12 members of the same family in an air raid on Kfar Ramman, which neighbours Nabatieh.

On Saturday, heavy explosions shook the town of al-Mansouri, heard and felt as far as Tyre and its surrounding areas, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported. Israeli artillery also shelled the Douha area of Kfar Reman, the outskirts of Arnoun and Wadi al-Salouqi.

A day earlier, Israeli forces blew up most of al-Mansouri’s public school, leaving a small section standing, and carried out a two-wave air raid on Nabatieh al-Fawqa, NNA reported. Israeli drones also flew low over Beirut and its southern suburbs.

The reports added that Israeli forces had begun demolishing homes using drones to drop barrels of explosive material on roofs.