Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the region's 'thorough cleansing' as unprecedented, claiming residents have nowhere to return to. The Israel Defense Forces defend the operation as a security necessity, noting that the 55th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade destroyed more than 600 Hezbollah sites and 8 tunnels in the town of Mansouri to prevent the group from reestablishing itself. Meanwhile, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix is urging the Security Council to decide the future of the UN presence before UNIFIL departs on Dec. 31.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Israel Razes 48 of 60 Southern Lebanon Towns Post-Ceasefire
War5 days ago
The majority of settled areas in the Israeli-occupied regions of southern Lebanon have been reduced to rubble, according to an investigation by The New York Times. Israeli forces have mostly leveled 48 of roughly 60 villages and towns in the zone, primarily using controlled demolitions after a ceasefire in April. The analysis found that raids predominantly targeted majority-Shia towns while sparing Christian, Druze, and Sunni villages, leaving about 270,000 residents barred from returning home.
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