Cautious calm prevails over south on last day of truce
Cautious calm prevailed over the border area in south Lebanon Monday, the last day of a four-day cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.
The calm was interrupted overnight by Israeli shelling on the southern border town of Marwahin.
While Lebanon and Hezbollah weren't officially parties to the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, it has brought at least a temporary halt to the daily exchanges of rockets, artillery shelling and airstrikes.
On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited north Israel and vowed to allow residents of the region to return home safely.
Gallant said that the Israeli troops have struck and killed over 100 Hezbollah fighters and destroyed "dozens of observation posts, warehouses, bunkers, and command centers."
"Here in the eastern sector of Lebanon, overlooking Syria, the soldiers are doing excellent work," he said. "The result is the pushing back of Hezbollah forces from the front line to deeper into the territory, which will allow the return of the residents."
The cross-border exchanges have killed 109 people in Lebanon, at least 77 of them Hezbollah fighters and 14 civilians. More than 55,000 people have fled their homes.
Six Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed on the Israeli side.
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/301737 |