BEIRUT, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli military operations continued across southern Lebanon on Sunday, with airstrikes, ground incursions, artillery bombardments, and demolition work, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).
Israeli warplanes struck an area between Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Mayfadoun at around 7 p.m., and later another area between Zawtar and Arnoun, while Israeli forces carried out large explosions in Arnoun al-Shaqif and on the outskirts of Yahmar al-Shaqif, NNA said.
In the Marjeyoun district, Israeli military vehicles moved east of Khiam under gunfire, and forces set fire to a house. In the Nabatieh district, an Israeli infantry unit, backed by armored Hummer vehicles, advanced toward the riverbed of Zawtar al-Gharbiyah and carried out explosions along the bank. In the Tyre district, Israeli bulldozers razed remaining houses in the Mashaa al-Mansouri area, according to NNA.
NNA added that Israeli forces conducted a machine-gun sweep from Haddatha toward the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal, while a drone hit the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Meanwhile, Israeli artillery shelled the Aita al-Jabal-Bayt Yahun woodland with several heavy rounds, while Israeli forces continued setting fire to residents' property in Haddatha, with fires spreading across large areas of olive groves.
A drone also dropped a sound bomb at the entrance to Srobbin in the Bint Jbeil district, and Israeli artillery shelled the town of Mansouri in the Tyre district, according to NNA.
In response to the escalating situation, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed Sunday that residents displaced from southern Lebanon would return "safely and with dignity."
Salam said in a statement that the south should not remain an open arena for wars and conflicts decided outside Lebanon, and the state must have sole authority over decisions of war and peace in Lebanon. ■
