Israel orders destruction of Lebanese border villages, targets Litani bridges

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Sunday the beginning of an operation to destroy bridges over the Litani River in southern Lebanon, citing their use by Hezbollah militia to transport combat equipment and personnel. The operation marks an acceleration of Israel's military campaign in the region.

Katz stated that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have ordered the immediate destruction of all bridges over the Litani, the longest river in Lebanon at 140 kilometers, which serves as a geographic barrier separating southern Lebanon from the rest of the country. According to Israeli officials, the bridges are being used for terrorist activities and to prevent Hezbollah transit of weapons and fighters toward the Israeli border.

The Israeli military also announced plans to destroy border villages in southern Lebanon "following the model applied in Gaza," according to Katz's statement. The operation began last week and has already resulted in the destruction of a key bridge over the Litani connecting the southern city of Tyre to the rest of the country. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee warned in a social media post that the Israeli Air Force would bombard the highway linking Tyre, the main city in southern Lebanon, with the rest of the territory. The bombardment followed shortly after the warning.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun denounced the operation Sunday, characterizing it as a prelude to a full Israeli ground invasion. "The Israeli attacks against the Litani River bridges constitute an attempt to interrupt the geographic connection of Lebanon with the rest of the country," Aoun said. "The Israeli attacks against Lebanese infrastructure are the prelude to a ground invasion."

Aoun called for immediate intervention by the United Nations and members of the Security Council, stating that "silence or continued inaction encourages further violations and undermines the credibility of the international community."

The Litani River is critical to Lebanon's agriculture, water supply, and hydroelectric power generation. The destruction of bridges and infrastructure in the region has left the city of Tyre isolated from the rest of the country.

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 have killed 1,024 people and wounded 2,740, including 118 minors and 79 women among the dead. Among the wounded are 370 children and 419 women. The attacks have also killed 40 healthcare workers and wounded 119 others. More than one million Lebanese have been displaced in the past 20 days, representing nearly 20 percent of the country's population of 5.8 million.

Israel has accelerated its invasion of southern Lebanon this week, with the stated objective of creating a buffer zone with northern Israel, which has faced attacks from Hezbollah militia aligned with Iran.