Israel targets south Lebanon with series of strikes
Israeli airstrikes targeted Monday Wadi Burghoz, Ansar's outskirts, al-Mahmoudiyeh, and al-Mourouj, with the Israeli army claiming it struck Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon.
"A short while ago, the (Israeli military) struck terror infrastructure in several areas of southern Lebanon... used by Hezbollah to conduct drills and training for terrorists" to attack Israeli forces and civilians, the military said in a statement.
The National News Agency reported "a series of Israeli strikes" on at least five villages -- Ansar, Zarariyeh, Kfar Melki, Nahr al-Shita and Buslaya, all north of the Litani river.
Last week, the Lebanese army said it had completed disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River in the first phase of a nationwide plan, though Israel described those efforts as insufficient.
Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire and is still occupying five hills it deems "strategic" in south Lebanon.
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem said Saturday that Lebanon has implemented all its obligations regarding the ceasefire while Israel "has committed to nothing" and that the decision to disarm the group is an "Israeli-American demand". "It is a far-fetched dream" that Hezbollah would hand over its weapons, he said.
Qassem is right when he tells free Lebanese that the Persian mind has no place for the dreams, aspirations, and striving of the citizens of a healthy republic. He is right in saying that Shia dreams of a better life cannot be achieved under Persian tutelage. He is wise when asserting that Iranians everywhere cannot yearn for a better life because the Ayatollahs deny that people should enjoy freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of action. ...
It is a shame that Qassem is not Lebanese in his heart, in his soul, and in his mind. He is a well behaved and obedient tool of the Persian culture that seeks to deny Lebanese all that is denied Iranians. He could have been so much more than a punctuation mark.