The Israeli army reported Thursday the arrival of suspicious individuals in several areas of southern Lebanon in vehicles, which it considers a violation of the conditions of the ceasefire that began at 4 a.m. Wednesday.
“Over the past hour, several suspects were identified as they arrived in vehicles in several areas of southern Lebanon, violating the conditions of the ceasefire. The Israeli Defense Forces opened fire on them,” the army said in a statement.
Israeli tanks fired on three towns along the border. At least two people were injured, according to reports by the Lebanese National News Agency, following attacks by Israeli forces in the southern Lebanese town of Merkaba.
A Hezbollah MP, Hassan Fadlallah, denounced Israel’s violation of the ceasefire. “The Israeli enemy is attacking those who return to their border towns,” he said.
The Israeli army on Thursday designated ten towns in southern Lebanon which constitute the prohibited zone for Lebanese; These are Shebaa, Al-Habbariyeh, Marjayoun, Arnoun, Yahmar, Al-Qantara, Shaqra, Bara’shit, Yater and Al-Mansouri, according to what the Arab spokesperson for the Israeli army said, Avichay Adraee.
From the first hours after the cessation of hostilities came into force at dawn on Wednesday, the roads leading to the south and east of Lebanon were filled with traffic jams due to the large number of families returning to the hardest hit regions. 1.2 million people displaced by the conflict which began a year ago and intensified on September 23.
Furthermore, on this first day of truce, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the army not to allow the displaced population to return to the south of the country. by force during the last two months after the start of the Israeli ground incursion.
On Wednesday morning, the Israeli military also reported shooting at a vehicle “with several suspects” in a no-traffic zone in southern Lebanon, but stressed its commitment to respecting the truce agreement.
The US ceasefire proposal includes three stages: a truce followed by the withdrawal of forces from the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah north of the Litani River; a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon within 60 days and, finally, negotiations between Israel and Lebanon on the demarcation of their border, which is currently a border set by the UN after the 2006 war.
