Israeli forces have been systematically destroying towns and villages in southern Lebanon, mirroring the devastation seen in Gaza; the Israeli military has published videos showing controlled demolitions of entire neighborhoods, according to NPR. In the village of Mansouri, less than a mile from what Israel has called the “yellow line,” the center lies in ruins; a row of single-story shops is blown out, goods scattered on the ground, and homes and buildings crumpled into themselves, unrecognizable. The mosque is blackened and burned, the minaret split in two. A Lebanese civil defense emergency vehicle is halted next to the rubble, its windshield smashed.

Controlled Demolitions and Civilian Impact

Thirty-five-year-old Abed Ammar, an emergency responder, returned to Mansouri during a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. He says the controlled demolitions in neighboring villages now occupied by Israel are louder than airstrikes and can be heard clearly. The Israeli military has been very public about the demolitions in many of the 55 Lebanese towns and villages it now occupies in the south. It says it is destroying Hezbollah infrastructure.

Damage to Key Infrastructure

At the Litani River, the Qasmiyeh Bridge was once a two-lane crossing to the south. When NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf visited, half the bridge was crumpled into itself as an excavator moved through debris. Israel struck this bridge in the final hours before the temporary ceasefire was announced. It was the last intact crossing to the south. During the conflict, Israel struck every major bridge crossing the river, claiming they were used by Hezbollah for weapons transport.

Ali Safieddine, the head of Lebanese civil defense for the area, says construction crews have tried to quickly patch the bridges. He points to a single-file line of cars carefully crawling across a pile of gravel filling the site of the strike. He says people are eager to return south now that a ceasefire is in effect but worries about what could happen if people need to evacuate again if the ceasefire ends with all the bridges damaged. People won’t be able to get out quickly, he says.

Peace Talks and Extension of Ceasefire

Israel and Lebanon are holding their second round of direct ambassador-level peace talks at the White House. President Trump announced a three-week extension between Israel and Lebanon. The previous 10-day ceasefire was described as shaky. The ceasefire aims to facilitate aid and allow civilians to return to their homes. However, the damage to key infrastructure raises concerns about the ability to evacuate quickly if hostilities resume.