Israeli forces’ demolition of crossings through the Litani River will cut off tens of thousands of residents in southern Lebanon from “essential lifelines,” human rights workers have warned, as the rate of killings, destruction and displacement across the country spiraled.
CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh reported earlier about an Israeli airstrike on a bridge over the Litani River:
Israeli airstrike hits bridge in Lebanon
The Israeli military struck a critical bridge in Southern Lebanon over the Litani River on Sunday amid escalating tensions with Hezbollah.
The destruction of critical infrastructure, including bridges and road networks, will inflict “significant humanitarian consequences” on Lebanese communities under Israeli bombing, according to Hovig Atamian, a senior relief worker for the international NGO, CARE International, in the capital Beirut. “Such infrastructure serves as essential lifelines connecting communities,” he said.
The Israeli military has blown up several bridges over the Litani River – which bisects Lebanon – in recent days, as part of a broader assault in the south. Just on Tuesday, the Israeli defense minister claimed those links were used by the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah “for the transfer of terrorists and weapons.” At least three of those bridges were destroyed in the space of 10 days, the UN reported on Monday.
CNN’s Eugenia Yosef contributed reporting.
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