Khaberni - The official Hebrew Broadcasting Authority stated on Monday evening that the Israeli occupation is planning to start demolishing the first row of houses near the border in southern Lebanon as part of a ground incursion operation announced by the Security Minister Yisrael Katz. The authority added, quoting sources (which it did not name), that "the political level has authorized the army to demolish rows of houses near the border with Israel."
According to the same sources, Israel will negotiate with Lebanon during the demolition process, "aiming to pressure the Lebanese government to curb Hezbollah." It was mentioned that Lebanese residents have left the area near the border, indicating that Israeli occupation forces will be deployed after the demolition operations are completed.
The authority also pointed out that Israeli assessments suggest that during the "ground maneuver," Hezbollah might resort to using anti-tank missiles, guerrilla warfare, as well as launching concentrated strikes against Israeli occupation forces.
Earlier, the occupation army said in a statement that forces from the 91st Division had begun, in recent days, executing targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah locations, aiming to enhance the forward defense area, explaining that "these activities are part of broader defensive efforts to establish and reinforce an advanced defensive position." It added that prior to the forces entering the area, the army carried out strikes using artillery and the Israeli Air Force targeting several Hezbollah targets, to reduce threats in the operational environment.
In contrast, Hezbollah announced in more than one military statement engaging in direct confrontations with the occupation forces in the town of Al-Khiyam using light and medium weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, alongside targeting gatherings of Israeli soldiers around the town, in the vicinity of the prison, and at the newly established position at Tel Al-Hamams south of the town. The town of Al-Khiyam experiences ongoing direct clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli forces, in addition to the axes where military operations may be concentrated.
Since the start of the current aggression on March 2, the Israeli occupation army has repeatedly announced the commencement of ground operations in southern Lebanon, but Hezbollah declared its opposition to the invading forces. Over the past two years, there have been calls in Israel to transform large parts of southern Lebanon into what is called the "buffer zone controlled by the army."
Last week, the Hebrew Broadcasting Authority reported that "the establishment of a buffer zone in southern Lebanon was a topic of discussion in recent days between Israel and the United States." The ongoing aggression on Lebanon since March 2 has resulted in 1,049,328 displaced persons and 886 martyrs, including 111 children and 67 women, in addition to 2,141 wounded, according to Lebanese authorities on Monday.
