By: Jason Ditz
Israeli drone drops sound bombs to chase off rescue workers in southern Lebanon
With a number of new Israeli ceasefire violations being reported daily, Lebanon’s government has taken the matter to the UN Security Council, lodging a formal complaint. The details include complaints of Israeli troops shooting at journalists in southern Lebanon, and removing demarcation markers along the de facto border.
Israel has yet to respond to the complaints, and continues to carry out overt violations of the ceasefire, which was initially a 60-day period from November 26 to January 26 after which Israel was meant to withdraw. The “ceasefire” was ultimately extended until February 18 after Israel decided they intended to stay.
There is considerable doubt at this point whether they’ll actually leave by February 18 either, though they have pulled out of a handful of additional villages and the southern town of Taybeh. Like other places Israel withdrew from previously, Taybeh has sustained massive destruction, with a number of buildings leveled and much of the infrastructure destroyed.
On Tuesday, the destruction seemed to focus on the village of Houla, where Israeli troops are burning homes and uprooting trees. Setting fire to homes in the villages closest to the border has become a recurring issue, as Israel continues to insist it’s not yet safe for civilians to try to return to those homes that they have yet to destroy.