In it southern Lebanonthe ghosts of the past return and become present again. The israeli flag that now crowns the Beaufort Crusader Castle He is no longer alone in the photographs of 18 years of israeli military occupation that ended in 2000 in the eastern region of the country of cedars, but is part of a new reality. This weekend Israeli troops occupied this strategic enclave, protected by UNESCO, in its expansion of the ground offensive over southern Lebanon. In the middle of the ceasefire, Israeli soldiers continue to occupy more and more Lebanese territory, while Hezbollah It doesn’t stop its attacks.
From the top of Beaufort Castle, you can see much of the Litani River. This waterway that flows into the Mediterranean and is located 30 kilometers of the current border is the new border line that the Israeli military authorities want to impose with their neighboring country. For this reason, in the last week, the Army has declared all of southern Lebanon a combat zone and has forced the population to move further north, specifically to the Río Zahrani10 kilometers further north of Litani. For the Israelis, just as it was for the crusaders or for the Saladin Muslims in the 12th century, or for the French during the mandate or for the Palestinians During the Lebanese civil war, Beaufort has always been a key point to dominate the country’s southern plain.
“Forty-four years later of the heroic Battle of Beaufort [durante la guerra civil libanesa]soldiers of the Israeli Army, led by the Golani Brigade, returned to the top of Beaufort and once again raised the Israeli flag and the Golani flag there,” celebrated the Minister of Defense, Israel Katzin a statement. This new capture comes amid the announcement of a military operation in southern Lebanon with the declared objective of destroy infrastructure of the Shiite party-militia Hezbollah and strengthen its operational presence near the border between both countries. According to a military statement, the offensive, during which Israeli troops crossed the Litani River, began several days ago and is spreading to other areas.
“Collective punishment”
For his part, the Lebanese Prime Minister, Nawaf Salamhas raised the alarm due to the seriousness of the situation. “What we have witnessed is not simply an Israeli expansion or incursion,” he declared this Saturday in a televised speech addressed to the Lebanese people. “Israel not only attacks specific places, but carries out a policy of widespread destruction of cities and townsas well as all the means of subsistence that are found there, while causing massive population displacements that they constitute a collective punishment inflicted on our peaceful population; These are policies condemned by all norms and international law,” he declared, denouncing the “dangerous and unprecedented escalation” and demanding a “immediate ceasefire.”
On paper, both countries are in a situation of cessation of hostilities since the past April 17when the United States mediated a truce in Lebanon as part of the ceasefire with Iran. Since then, Israeli troops have killed more than a thousand people In indiscriminate bombings, they have displaced a quarter of the population, more than a million people, and continue to devastate entire villages in the south of the country. At least 3,371 people have died and 10,129 have been injured since the start of hostilities on March 2. On Friday alone, the Israeli Army caused 16 fatalities.
On the outskirts of Nabatiye
Israeli forces are now on the outskirts of Nabatiyaa key city for economy of southern lebanon and an important cultural center of the region. If this Shiite-majority city, located eight kilometers from Beaufort Castle, were to fall, it would be a significant milestone that would return the inhabitants to the reality of occupation they suffered during 18 yearsfrom 1982 to 2000, when Hezbollah liberated the south of the country. Nabatiye is an essential city in the Lebanese imaginary of resistancebecause, being only 13 kilometers from the border with Israel, it has had a historic role by being on the front line of Israeli attacks.
Hezbollah, in turn, has redoubled attacks against Israeli troops which are found in southern Lebanon. The launch of suicide drones During this truce it has become the Israeli Army’s biggest nightmare, since more than a dozen soldiers have lost their lives due to its impact. On Saturday night, a first-person view drone piloted by Hezbollah attacked a position where Hezbollah soldiers were operating. Givati unit and the explosion killed a soldier and wounded four others. Furthermore, two other lebanese soldierswho are not involved in the conflict with Israel, have been “seriously injured when attacked by a hostile Israeli drone inside a vehicle” near Nabatiye.
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