Israel vows to demolish additional Lebanese bridges amid escalating tensions

Israeli Military Threatens to Destroy Bridges in Lebanon

The Israeli military has announced plans to bomb two bridges in southern Lebanon, claiming they are being used by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The Sohmor and Mashghara bridges over the Litani River in the western Bekaa Valley are said to be main arteries for goods, people, and movement between the rest of Lebanon and the region.

According to reports, Israeli forces have already destroyed at least six other bridges over the Litani River since the start of their intensified aerial and ground offensive in Lebanon in early March. Rights groups have expressed concern that Israel appears to be trying to isolate the region.

The bombing of bridges and civilian infrastructure across southern Lebanon has been widely reported. The South Lebanon Water Establishment said Israeli strikes damaged key water infrastructure, including facilities in Ibl al-Saqi and al-Maysat, as well as solar power systems at other stations.

At least four people were killed in Israeli attacks on Friday, including a strike that targeted worshippers leaving a mosque in the western Bekaa town of Sahmar. The Israeli bombardment of Lebanon has forced over 1.2 million people from their homes and has resulted in at least 1,345 deaths and over 4,000 injuries.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that three peacekeepers were wounded due to an explosion at a UN position near al-Adaissah, a village near the Israel-Lebanon border. The incident is currently under investigation.

Source: Al Jazeera