Reporting from southern Lebanon, MBN’s correspondent Yehia Kassem joined Israeli army units on a field tour in the border town of Khiam, where widespread destruction remains after recent clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.
Amid destroyed streets and damaged homes, the report shows the extent of devastation in Khiam, where the Israeli military says it carried out complex ground operations to locate Hezbollah tunnels, weapons depots, and command centers above and below ground.
In Khiam, the war appears far from over, despite a ceasefire along the Lebanese-Israeli border and ongoing discussions about negotiations between the two governments under U.S. mediation.
The extensive destruction raises complex questions about the fate of residents and whether those displaced from southern villages to safer areas in northern and inland Lebanon will be able to return home soon, or at all.
Israel, which entered southern Lebanon in March after Hezbollah fired across the border in support of Iran, says it is seeking to establish control over a zone extending up to 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory, demolishing villages it claims are used by Hezbollah and aimed at protecting northern Israel.
The offensive has triggered a mass displacement toward northern Lebanon. More than one million people have been displaced, with most staying with relatives or in rented housing, while about 124,000 others are sheltering in government facilities, according to Reuters.
Although Israel and Lebanon reached a ceasefire in mid-April, fighting has not fully stopped, with Israel continuing military operations and Hezbollah carrying out attacks on Israeli forces and northern towns.
While the Lebanese government is seeking a lasting agreement with Israel, Israel says any deal must include the disarmament of Hezbollah.
