Speaking in Paris as attacks continued in southern Lebanon, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the framework agreement could not be implemented while Israel’s attacks and occupation of part of Lebanese territory continued.
On Thursday, the Israeli army carried out airstrikes and artillery fire in the areas of Tyre, Nabatieh, Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil. Gunfire and explosions were heard in the areas, while homes were destroyed and burned.
Residential areas and infrastructure in Mansouri, in the Tyre district, were targeted in airstrikes. The tremors caused by the attacks were felt in nearby villages, while the areas of Wadi al-Azziyah and al-Hinniyah around Mansouri also came under artillery fire.
Israeli fighter jets struck Mansouri, Majdal Zoun and nearby valleys during the night. Later in the day, Mansouri was attacked with two missiles and targeted again afterward. Israeli forces continued demolishing homes in the area.
An Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb near Ziftar al-Gharbiyah in Nabatieh. Israeli forces set fire to homes near the earthen embankment separating Ziftar al-Gharbiyah and Ziftar al-Sharqiyah.
The area between the Ali al-Taher and al-Dabshah hills near Nabatieh al-Fawqa came under intermittent artillery fire. The area between Mayfadoun and Ziftar al-Sharqiyah, as well as the vicinity of al-Dimashqiyah near the eastern exit of Kafr Tebnit, was also targeted by artillery. A major explosion occurred in Yahmar al-Shaqif.
Hadatha in the Bint Jbeil district came under artillery fire, while a major explosion occurred in Aita al-Shaab. In Marjayoun, Israeli forces fired machine guns toward Wadi al-Hujayr near Qabrikha in the morning.
Israeli drones flew at low altitude over Beirut and the capital’s southern suburbs before noon. Low-altitude flights were also observed in the Hermel area.
Aoun links implementation of agreement to end of attacks
Aoun made the remarks while attending a preparatory meeting in Paris for an international conference to support the Lebanese army and internal security forces.
The Lebanese president said the tripartite framework formula agreed with Israel aimed to end the war and usher in a new period of security and stability. Aoun said Lebanon had fulfilled its obligations, adding that it was impossible to complete the agreement and strengthen stability while Israel’s attacks and violations, as well as its occupation of part of Lebanese territory, continued.
Aoun also said the army’s role in southern Lebanon had expanded, emphasizing the state’s responsibility to strengthen its presence, extend its authority and preserve stability in the face of continuing attacks and violations.
Terms of the framework agreement and the toll
Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in Washington on June 26 with U.S. support. The agreement provides for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the areas vacated.
Aoun had previously said the greatest challenge in southern Lebanon was ensuring Israel’s withdrawal from the villages and towns it occupied. The Lebanese president had said efforts to implement the agreement with partners were continuing so that the Lebanese army could be deployed up to the international border.
Despite the agreement, Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon continue. Some areas in the south have remained under Israeli control for years, while others were seized during the recent war and military operations.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry announced that 4,386 people had been killed and 12,407 wounded in Israeli attacks between March 2 and September 17. The ministry said the total toll since October 8, 2023, had reached 8,953 dead and 30,643 wounded.
