The Lebanese army increases its presence along the border with Israel, destroying Hezbollah posts

ZIBKIN VALLEY, Lebanon (AP) — The Lebanese army has stepped up its efforts in the volatile region that has witnessed 14 months of war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group along the border with Israel.

The area south of the Litani River and the northern parts of the border with Israel were previously Hezbollah strongholds, off limits to the Lebanese National Army and UN peacekeepers stationed in the area.

But since a ceasefire ended the Israel-Hezbollah war a year ago, the Lebanese army has increased its presence on the border to nearly 10,000 troops, closed 11 crossing points used for smuggling on the Litani River, and is dealing with large amounts of unexploded ordnance, according to several senior army officials.

On Friday, the army took dozens of journalists from local and international media on a tour of the border area. Its forces could be seen in places where Hezbollah once had a heavy military presence.

Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes since the November 2024 ceasefire, mainly targeting Hezbollah members but also killing 127 civilians, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for attacks on Israeli military posts since last November. The group says it has no armed presence near the border, south of the Litani River.

Hezbollah rejected the disarmament plan

Hezbollah refuses to discuss complete disarmament in Lebanon until Israel stops its attacks and withdraws from the five mountain points it captured during the war, and still holds on.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war began on October 8, 2023, a day after Hamas attacked southern Israel, after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas. Israel launched a two-month long bombardment of Lebanon last year that severely weakened Hezbollah, followed by a ground offensive.

In August, the Lebanese government voted in favor of a US-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah. Hezbollah rejected this plan.

In recent weeks, Israel has said that Hezbollah is working on rebuilding its capabilities in south Lebanon.

“The Lebanese Army is making a great effort at this critical period in the region’s history,” said Brig. General Nicolas Thabet, Lebanese Army commander in the sector south of the Litani River.

Journalists were taken to the Jibkin Valley on Friday, where Hezbollah once had rocket launchers, tunnels and posts hidden in bushes. The militant group had no presence there and its old posts had either been hit or were now controlled by Lebanese forces.

A tunnel about 100 meters (328 ft) inside the mountain, used by Hezbollah in the past, contained a small medical clinic, ventilation systems, electrical cables, water tankers and large quantities of canned food.

Zibkin Valley is where six army specialists were killed in August when weapons depots exploded while dismantling them.

“We will not abandon our goals no matter the difficulties,” Thabet said, adding that “the army is making great sacrifices in one of the most dangerous parts of the Middle East”.

Weapons and tunnels found

Israel has committed 5,198 violations of the ceasefire, including 657 airstrikes, military officials told reporters. They added that 13,981 houses were destroyed in the war while infrastructure in border villages was damaged.

They said that some of the weapons and arms they found were destroyed or exploded and some were kept in storage. They said that the army took the weapons that could be used.

Officials added that the army has 200 posts south of the Litani River, apart from 29 fixed posts, and conducts round-the-clock patrolling.

On September 5, the military intensified its efforts in the region following the government’s decision to disarm Hezbollah. Since then, the army has found 74 tunnels, 175 rocket launchers and 58 missiles.

Thabet said the military does not allow them to search homes without a court order and only does so if they see illegal activities taking place.