Israeli strikes intensify in southern Lebanon despite US-brokered ceasefire

The Israeli military has bombed several areas right across southern Lebanon on Sunday. It has damaged government premises. It has destroyed an out-of-service hospital and resulted in civilian deaths. Earlier this week, Israel said it has taken what it called operational control of the Ali Tahrir Bridge close to Nabatiyah. Now capturing this strategic high command gives the Israeli military commanding views of southern Lebanon. Now these attacks are a violation of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in place in June. Now under the deal, the Israeli military was meant to gradually withdraw from areas it occupies in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese military was meant to move in and oversee the disarmament of Hezbollah. Now this was meant to happen under a so-called pilot zone program. Now in July, both sides began implementing this pilot zone program as a test case in three villages stretching from the southern city of Tyre to Nabatiyah. The Lebanese military began deploying troops to one village. But continuous Israeli strikes have risked the progress of the pilot zone program. Also under the agreement, it does not provide a timeline for Israeli withdrawal. Israeli officials say their troops will remain 10 kilometers inside Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms. And Hezbollah, for its part, has rejected the June agreement, demanding Israeli forces leave southern Lebanon unconditionally. Now despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, 4,300 people have been killed since March. More than one million people have been displayed since the latest conflict began.