Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says Israel controls 68 villages in the south
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says the Israeli army controls 68 villages in the country's south.
The Israeli military currently controls 68 locations in southern Lebanon, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says.
Prior to the recent war, there were only five locations occupied by Israel, Salam told the DPA news agency.
“Israel now controls 68 villages,” he said.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.This amounts to nearly half of the territory south of the Litani River, which is situated approximately 30km north of the Israeli border.
When asked, the Israeli military justified its actions by citing the security of northern Israel.
The objective of these operations, it stated, is to eliminate “the acute threat” to the residents of northern Israel and to prevent a renewed entrenchment of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.
The government in Beirut has repeatedly condemned Israel’s military operations in southern Lebanon as violations of international law and of its own sovereignty.
The Lebanese and Israeli governments have agreed to a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
The Lebanese government is not a party to the conflict.
However, mutual shelling continues and people are still killed in Lebanon on a daily basis.
To date, 2869 people have been killed in the conflict in Lebanon, which has been ongoing since early March.
Israel maintains a troop presence in southern Lebanon and is demanding the complete disarmament of Hezbollah.
