Parliament speaker says Israeli forces occupy positions inside Lebanon

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday said that Israeli troops have stationed inside Lebanese territory in five strategic locations, adding that Israel is preventing the full deployment of Lebanon's forces along the southern border. 

Berri said that 9,000 Lebanese soldiers have already been deployed south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

Following Israeli military movements near the border, the Lebanese army mobilised its forces in the border town of Meiss El-Jabal in southern Lebanon, local media said.

Israeli army forces were placed on alert inside the occupied territories next to Meiss El-Jabal, prompting the Lebanese army to mobilise and deploy vehicles and troops in the area, according to the Lebanese state news agency NNA. 

The development comes after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday instructed the army to confront any Israeli military incursions into southern Lebanon. His directive followed an Israeli raid that killed a municipal employee inside the Blida municipality building in the south.

On Sunday, an Israeli drone launched three missiles near the Zefta–Nmeiriyeh junction in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon.

Israel continues to violate its ceasefire with Hezbollah, carrying out relentless attacks across southern Lebanon. Dozens of people, including medics, journalists, and civilians, have been killed in Israeli strikes since the truce was agreed last November.

Despite its claims of “self-defence,” Israel’s repeated bombardments have drawn growing condemnation for fuelling instability and targeting non-combatants.