By Said Amori and Mohammad Sio
UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS
JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli military said Thursday it destroyed several sites in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv.
A military statement alleged that the sites housed stockpiles of missiles, rockets, mortar shells, grenades, explosives, and firearms.
“During additional scans, concealed hideouts and multiple-barrel launchers aimed at Israeli territory were located,” the army said.
The Lebanese state news agency NNA, meanwhile, reported demolition operations and the burning of several houses by Israeli forces in the border towns of Kafrkela and Odaisseh.
A fragile ceasefire has been in place since Nov. 27, ending months of mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah that escalated into a full-scale conflict last September.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply.
As the new deadline approaches, Israel has signaled further delays. On Wednesday, the military said that it was “extending the implementation period of the agreement.”
Lebanon has reported over 900 Israeli ceasefire violations, killing 73 and injuring 265 others, since Nov. 27.
Israel’s military operations in Lebanon have killed 4,104 people and injured 16,890, including women and children, while displacing around 1.4 million people since October 2023.