Israel obstructing takeover of pilot zones in Lebanon’s south: Military

Israel is violating agreements by shelling ‘pilot villages’, Lebanon’s army asserts.The Lebanese army has accused Israel of obstructing its efforts to take over control of security in southern Lebanon.The Lebanese military said in a statement on Sunday that the Israeli army was continuing to conduct shelling and clearance operations, preventing Lebanese troops from fully taking over villages as agreed.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Lebanon Latest: President Aoun visits White House to discuss Hezbollahlist 2 of 4‘This land will remain ours’ says a resident in Lebanon’s ‘pilot zone’list 3 of 4Israel carries out blasts across south Lebanon despite ‘ceasefire’ deallist 4 of 4From paradise to ‘pilot zone’ disaster: Returning to destroyed Lebanon homeend of listThe Lebanese army on Tuesday deployed troops to the first of three “pilot zone” villages. The move for local forces to take over security follows the signing last month of a United States-backed agreement that should see the phased withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon.“The continuation of these assaults hinders the completion of the army’s deployment … and prevents the return of residents to their villages and towns,” the Lebanese army said in its statement.Three villages, or “pilot zones”, were chosen for the first phase of the Israeli withdrawals – Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Froun and Srifa. However, concerns over the lack of a clear exit schedule from Israel have persisted.Parts of western Zawtar, Tibnit and Nabatieh al-Fawqa were still seeing Israeli gunfire even as civilians returned home, the Lebanese military said on Sunday.Israel was bulldozing, shelling and conducting combing operations with machine guns in Nabatieh, Hdda, Kunin, Bint Jbeil, Nabi Ibel al-Saqi, Khiam, al-Mansouri and Bayt al-Siyad as well as Majdal Zoun in Tyre, it added.A water project in the town of Markaba was also blown up while olive trees and swathes of farmland were razed on the outskirts of the town of Aitaroun.