Israeli occupation forces carried out a deliberate arson campaign in southern Lebanon on Thursday, destroying an estimated 30 to 40 percent of forested areas near the combat line and damaging historic olive groves, according to the Civil Defense of the Nabatieh department, which also reported that a drone directly attacked a firefighting team en route to extinguish one blaze.

Civil Defense director Hussein Fakih denounced the drone strike on firefighters, while also noting that Zionist troops used flares and artillery against wooded areas in the town of Khiam, igniting nighttime fires.

The campaign is part of a systematic environmental aggression, which has in the past included the spraying of toxic chemicals in Lebanese territory, Fakih indicated.

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Alongside the fires, civilian infrastructure demolition was reported in Majdal Zoun, and infantry units advanced between Aita al-Jabal and Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district.

Occupation Minister of War Israel Katz affirmed that invading forces will not withdraw from Lebanese territory in order to consolidate what he called a security zone—described by local sources as an illegal invasion—following Beirut’s acceptance in June of a framework agreement that conditions Israel’s pullout.

In response, the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah reaffirmed its commitment to defending the sovereignty of southern Lebanon.

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