Widespread destruction in the town of Haris, and Netanyahu conditions withdrawal from southern Lebanon on ending Hezbollah's presence

A field tour in the town of Haris, located in the Bint Jbeil district of Nabatieh Governorate, revealed the extent of the massive destruction inflicted by the Israeli occupation on homes and private properties. This town is considered one of the last points civilians are allowed to access before entering what is called the security zone, which Israel controls.\n\nThe occupation authorities refer to the security zone as a buffer strip extending several kilometers deep into Lebanese territory along the land border. Israel has worked to establish and expand this strip during the extensive military operations it launched in 2024 and 2025, under the pretext of securing the residents of the north.\n\nIn a clear defiance of international agreements, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his adherence to continuing the occupation of this security strip. These statements came despite the entry into force of the Iranian-American agreement in mid-June, which emphasizes the necessity of respecting Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.\n\nOn June 26, Beirut and Tel Aviv signed a US-sponsored framework agreement aimed at regulating a gradual Israeli withdrawal. This process begins from two pilot areas, but ambiguity still surrounds the final timetable for a complete withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories.\n\nThe Israeli side links any withdrawal step to the Lebanese army assuming full security responsibility in those areas. The occupation also stipulates the disarmament of all non-state armed groups, in a direct reference to Hezbollah's weapons, which complicates the implementation of the agreement on the ground.\n\nField sources from the town of Haris reported that civilian movement stops at a Lebanese army checkpoint located at the end of the road leading to the town. Beyond this checkpoint, access is prohibited to the town of Hadatha, which the occupation army has turned into a center for incursions and command towards other southern towns.\n\nThe sources observed completely destroyed homes at the last available border point, where some residents are trying to return to inspect their properties using heavy machinery to clear roads blocked by rubble. These scenes reflect the extent of suffering experienced by residents of border areas amid ongoing airstrikes and artillery shelling.\n\nThe town of Haris suffers from an almost complete lack of basic services, as water and electricity supplies have been cut off due to direct targeting of infrastructure. Israeli military operations have caused widespread and undeniable destruction, raising serious concerns about the situation of towns still under direct occupation.\n\nEstimates indicate that the area currently occupied by the Israeli army in southern Lebanon amounts to about 600 square kilometers. There is concern that the extent of destruction in cities and villages that cannot be accessed is much greater than what has been documented in areas accessible to civilians.\n\nIn a related context, Netanyahu conducted an inspection tour accompanied by his security minister, Yisrael Katz, within the occupied security strip areas. During the tour, Netanyahu reiterated his assertion that Israeli forces would remain in the south as long as Hezbollah's presence continued, considering that the threat still exists.\n\nNetanyahu issued strict instructions to his soldiers to act immediately upon detecting any threat without waiting for additional orders. These statements come at a time when Israeli forces have penetrated more than 10 kilometers into Lebanon, thus exceeding the traditional occupation areas that date back many years.\n\n"As long as Hezbollah is here and threatens us, we will remain here. Our instructions to the fighters are: If you detect a threat, act.