Ceasefire comes into effect in Lebanon

Beirut (EFE).- The Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah declared this Wednesday its “victory” over Israel and assured that it had managed to “defeat its forces”, after a ceasefire came into effect this morning in Lebanon which has Ended more wars. A year of hostility between the parties.

“Thanks to its commitment and effort for more than thirteen months, the resistance was able to achieve victory over a confused enemy, which could not weaken its determination,” Hezbollah’s operations room said in a statement issued through official channels. Or couldn’t break its will.” Group.

The armed formation, which has received a harsh blow from Israel in the past year of violence – particularly in the massive bombings over the past two months against various parts of Lebanon – listed its “victories” against the Jewish state as “accomplishments”. Supported. ,

“This is the battlefield that has spoken with determined fighters who trust in Allah to thwart the enemy’s objectives, defeat their forces, and write the epic of resistance with their blood,” the Hezbollah statement continued.

According to the Shia group, since the start of hostilities with Israel on October 8, 2023, Hezbollah launched at least “4,637 announced military operations over 417 days”, with an average of eleven per day.

increase in attacks

However, after the massive explosion of a pager at the hands of members of the Iranian-allied formation on September 17 this year, Hezbollah significantly increased its attacks against Israel.

Since then and until the ceasefire took effect this Wednesday morning, November 27, Hezbollah has launched a total of 23 operations a day against Israeli army barracks and bases, as well as cities and settlements along the border with Lebanon. Further south to Tel Aviv, in central Israel.

“The operation also included a heroic confrontation against ground infiltration into Lebanese areas,” Hezbollah said, referring to the offensive into southern Lebanon launched by Israeli forces in the early hours of 1 October.

In addition, the group’s operations room also presented calculations of “cumulative losses suffered by enemy forces” from the beginning of the offensive until the implementation of the ceasefire: more than 130 dead soldiers and more than 1,250 wounded, figures far superior to those reported by Israeli officials. For those broadcasted.

They also claimed to have destroyed 59 Merkava tanks and 11 military excavators as well as armored vehicles. He also said they had shot down six Hermes 450 drones, another two Type 900 drones and “a quadcopter glider”.

After disseminating these figures, Hezbollah stated that “the attacking forces did not succeed in capturing or securing any border towns” nor “established a military security buffer zone”, while recalling that the Israeli The army “could not stop the launch of rockets and drones” into its territory.

More than 3,800 people have been killed – about 3,100 in the past two months alone – and another 1.5 million have been forced to flee their homes in Lebanon after more than a year of violence between the sides.

Israel’s warning to Hezbollah

Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israeli Armed Forces, warned that any violation of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon by the Shia group Hezbollah “will be responded to with fire” at the end of the first day of a ceasefire between the parties.

Hagari also assured that Israeli aviation will continue to fly over Lebanese skies to gather intelligence and take action where necessary.

“The mission of the Israeli military is to enforce the agreement,” the military spokesman stressed, assuring that if not, they would attack. Throughout the negotiations, Israel always demanded the right to resume violence if it believed Hezbollah was not complying with the agreed-upon terms.

Hagari reported that Israeli troops are deployed in southern Lebanon, while Islamic militants (as well as Israel’s own troops) are gradually withdrawing over a 60-day period stipulated by the agreement.

The army spokesman also issued a veiled threat to Lebanese returning to their homes in the south: “As you have seen throughout the war, we do what we say. For your safety, we request that you do not go to areas where our troops are. “A ceasefire agreement is being made gradually, we will inform you when you return.”

curfew

This afternoon, and with only half an hour remaining, the army’s Arabic spokesman Avichai Adraee said Israel was imposing a curfew from Wednesday 5:00 pm local time to Thursday 7:00 am GMT) with the Lebanese being allowed to Access to the south side of the river was blocked.

After more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which left more than 3,500 people dead in Lebanon and another 78 on Israeli territory (46 of them civilians), the parties agreed to a ceasefire that began this week. It took place on Wednesday, 4:00 pm (2:00 GMT).

Before Hagari’s appearance, the armed forces reported one of their last attacks before the start of the ceasefire: a bombardment against Hezbollah’s largest missile production center, in the Bekaa Valley near the Lebanese border with Syria.

The military statement in this regard said, “The 1.4 kilometer long underground infrastructure is used for the manufacturing of surface-to-surface missiles and various weapons components, as well as various precision weapons used in attacks on Israel.” Was meant to be stored.”