Hezbollah Says Israel’s Qaraoun Dam Claims Precede New Strikes on Lebanon’s Infrastructure

Hezbollah said Israeli claims about the Qaraoun Dam were a pretext for a new assault on Lebanon’s infrastructure, asserting that the dam is “among the most prominent water and strategic facilities in Lebanon.”

“Hezbollah: The Israeli enemy spreads false claims about the Qaraoun Dam to justify its continued attacks on Lebanon and violations against civilians, children, medics, and journalists Hezbollah fighters targeted gatherings of Israeli occupation army vehicles and soldiers at a newly established position, as well as in the towns of Addaisseh and Arab Al-Luwaiza, with swarms of attack drones: Military Media Statements 16 to 18 Hezbollah fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli occupation army vehicles and soldiers at the Al-Malkiyeh site with a drone strike: Military Media Statement 15 Hezbollah: The Israeli enemy spreads false claims about the Qaraoun Dam to justify its continued attacks on Lebanon and violations against civilians, children, medics, and journalists Hezbollah fighters targeted gatherings of Israeli occupation army vehicles and soldiers at a newly established position, as well as in the towns of Addaisseh and Arab Al-Luwaiza, with swarms of attack drones: Military Media Statements 16 to 18 Hezbollah fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli occupation army vehicles and soldiers at the Al-Malkiyeh site with a drone strike: Military Media Statement 15”

Al-Manar TV Lebanon

In its response, Hezbollah warned that “these fabricated claims and pretexts may be a prelude to a new Israeli attack targeting the Qaraoun Dam or its surroundings,” and said the party was placing the threats before the international community and human rights and humanitarian institutions.

Boursorama

The Lebanese Health Ministry said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed 31 people, including at least four children and three women, and wounded 40 others, with 14 killed in Bourj al-Shamali near Tyre.

L’Orient-Le Jour reported that Israeli strikes bombed the surroundings around the Qaraoun dam in Beqaa and ordered the evacuation of Machghara and Sohmor, while attacks continued in southern Lebanon and the army ordered the evacuation of the entire town of Nabatieh.

Libnanews described the Qaraoun dam as holding back the Litani’s water, powering hydroelectric facilities, serving irrigation, and overlooking downstream communities, adding that no public information at this stage confirmed a rupture or major structural damage to the dam.

Israeli forces issued evacuation orders on Tuesday for at least 50 towns and villages in southern and eastern Lebanon, including Nabatieh, and residents were told to move north of the Zahrani River.

Radio-Canada quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying, “We are intensifying our action in Lebanon and we are reinforcing the security zone to protect communities in northern Israel,” as the Israeli army expanded ground operations beyond the Yellow Line.

El-Nashra

tv5monde reported that the Lebanese Ministry of Health said 31 people were killed in the Israeli attacks and 40 others were wounded, with 14 killed in Burj al-Shamali near Tyre.

The same tv5monde account said strikes killed at least one person and wounded two rescuers affiliated with the Amal group in Srifa, bringing the number of rescuers killed in the conflict to 120.

In Nabatieh, tv5monde said an AFP correspondent reported several bombardments after an evacuation appeal and saw smoke rising from several locations, while ANI said one strike caused “significant damage” to a public hospital.

Hezbollah said Israel’s talk about caring for Lebanon’s infrastructure “will fool no one,” and argued that the Israeli entity is responsible for destroying bridges and roads, water and electricity facilities, ports, and civilian installations during repeated attacks on Lebanon.

“In a statement responding to the Israeli enemy’s false claims about the Qaraoun Dam, Hezbollah pointed out that the Israeli enemy continues its policy of lies and deception to justify its ongoing attacks on Lebanon and its crimes against civilians, children, rescuers, and journalists, in flagrant violation of all international laws and norms”

El-Nashra

Hezbollah also urged the Lebanese state to take urgent action at diplomatic, legal, and media levels and to file an immediate complaint with relevant international authorities to hold the international community accountable for stopping Israeli attacks on Lebanon’s people and national resources.

Libnanews said the Litani National Office asked that gatherings and passage near the Qaraoun dam be prohibited, and it sent a letter to Beqaa Governor Kamal Aboujaoudé asking him to take measures with security forces, including preventing attendance at cafes and tourist establishments near the dam “to safeguard public safety.”

Libnanews added that no public information at this stage confirmed a rupture or major structural damage to the dam, but it warned that a war waged near a reservoir of about 220 million cubic meters can never be treated as an ordinary episode.

In the same context, L’Orient-Le Jour said strikes on Tuesday killed 31 people and that Netanyahu announced an escalation to “crush” Hezbollah, while it also reported that the American army conducted overnight strikes on “missile launch sites and Iranian vessels attempting to lay mines.”