Lebanese Defense Minister Mensi says Israeli-occupied southern lands will be reclaimed

Lebanon says reclaiming occupied southern lands is an unchanging goal

Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Mensi stated that reclaiming the southern territories under Israeli occupation is a fixed state goal, and the army remains constantly ready for this task. Together with Public Works Minister Fayiz Ressamni, he inspected the damage to infrastructure caused by Israeli attacks and announced the start of reconstruction efforts.

Scraper SystemAugust 05, 2026, 10:10 PM

Lebanon says reclaiming occupied southern lands is an unchanging goal

Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Mensi stated that reclaiming the southern territories under Israeli occupation is an unchanging goal of the state, and that the Lebanese army is ready at all times to achieve this goal.

Mensi, together with Public Works and Transport Minister Fayiz Ressamni, conducted a field visit to the towns of Kakiye el-Cisr and Zevtar el-Garbiye to see firsthand the destruction caused by Israeli attacks. The two ministers inspected damaged roads, bridges, and other infrastructure facilities.

Speaking during the visit, Defense Minister Mensi said this tour embodied the state's commitment to establishing its sovereignty over all Lebanese territory. He stressed that the state's return to the region is not limited to the security dimension, but also includes providing essential services so that citizens can return to their homes.

"The army is constantly ready to reclaim the land. This land is ours, not someone else's, and our sole goal is to take it back," Mensi said, adding that the mechanism for this is a matter of state work, while the outcomes are left to ongoing negotiations. "The land of the south will return to its owners," Mensi stated.

During his inspection in Zevtar el-Garbiye, from which the Israeli army had withdrawn, Mensi said, "The army is the spearhead of Lebanese sovereignty. Every advance into the towns means sovereignty is being established." He noted that fully achieving sovereignty requires the joint effort of all ministries, with the army at the forefront of this effort.

Mensi stated, "Zevtar is returning today. Every inch of land in the south will return to its owners. It may take time, but it will return, and the presence of foreigners there is forbidden." He said the state's duty is to reclaim the land and hand it over to its rightful owners, and noted that residents are demanding services and assistance from the state.

Reconstruction work begins

Public Works and Transport Minister Fayiz Ressamni said the south has paid a heavy price in defense of the homeland, but the will of its people remains unbroken. Stressing that the state will continue its support until reconstruction is complete, Ressamni said his ministry acts "not with promises, but with fieldwork," and that reconstruction begins by actually responding to citizens' needs.

Ressamni announced that the Council of Ministers has approved an emergency plan for the rehabilitation, maintenance, and reconstruction of roads and bridges damaged during the attacks. He said the ministry has reopened main and internal roads to traffic and established temporary crossing points to facilitate the movement of citizens, ambulances, and civil defense vehicles.

Minister Ressamni announced the launch of a temporary crossing point project at the Kakiye el-Cisr Bridge over the Litani River. The project aims to restore the connection between the Bint Jbeil and Nabatieh districts until the permanent bridge is rebuilt, ensuring transportation for citizens, students, and patients.

Ressamni also stated that the ministry will begin pothole repair and rehabilitation work on main roads in the most damaged towns within the buffer zone, listing Ganduriye, Zevtar el-Garbiye, Burj Qalawiye, Qalawiye, Srifa, and Frun among them.

Negotiations continue

The two ministers' tour also included Zevtar el-Garbiye, where they inspected the extent of damage to homes, infrastructure, and road networks, and met with some residents who had returned to the town. Meanwhile, Lebanese army units continue to deploy in the area to provide protection and clear suspicious objects left behind by Israeli forces.

This field visit took place amid ongoing indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, mediated by the US, to discuss the implementation of ceasefire arrangements and the completion of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory. The Lebanese army is simultaneously reinforcing its deployment in border towns.

The seventh round of negotiations, which began on Tuesday in Rome, Italy, will last three days. The negotiation process, which previously held five rounds in Washington, is proceeding under US auspices.

The "framework formula" agreement signed between Beirut and Tel Aviv last June envisages a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, starting with the implementation of a model in pilot areas, with the Lebanese army assuming security responsibility in areas from which Israel withdraws, and the disarmament of armed groups, in reference to Hezbollah.

The US State Department announced at the end of July that the pilot phase had begun in the towns of Frun in the Bint Jbeil district, Srifa in the Tyre district, and Zevtar el-Garbiye in the Nabatieh district. Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the 2023-2024 war. In its latest attacks, it penetrated more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory.

Lebanon says reclaiming occupied southern lands is an unchanging goal