Lebanese army dismantled 鈥榦ver 90 percent鈥� of Hezbollah infrastructure near Israel: security official

Lebanese army has dismantled 鈥渙ver 90 percent鈥� of Hezbollah鈥檚 infrastructure near the border with Israel since a November ceasefire, an official said Wednesday. (File/AFP)
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  • 鈥淲e have dismantled over 90 percent of the infrastructure in the area south of the Litani,鈥� the official said
  • Aoun, on a visit to the UAE, said the Lebanese army was 鈥渇ulfilling its role without any problems or opposition鈥�

BEIRUT: The Lebanese army has dismantled 鈥渙ver 90 percent鈥� of Hezbollah鈥檚 infrastructure near the border with Israel since a November ceasefire, a security official said Wednesday.
鈥淲e have dismantled over 90 percent of the infrastructure in the area south of the Litani,鈥� the official, who requested anonymity as the matter is sensitive, told AFP.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meanwhile said in an interview with Sky News Arabia that the army was now in control of over 85 percent of the country鈥檚 south.
The November truce deal, which ended over a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, was based on a UN Security Council resolution that says Lebanese troops and United Nations peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon.
Under the deal, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters north of Lebanon鈥檚 Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure to its south.
Much of Hezbollah鈥檚 robust underground infrastructure in the south was 鈥渇illed and closed鈥� by the army, the official said.
Soldiers have also reinforced their control of crossing points into the area south of the Litani 鈥渢o prevent the transfer of weapons from the north of the river to the south.鈥�
Aoun, on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, said the Lebanese army was 鈥渇ulfilling its role without any problems or opposition.鈥�
He said the single obstacle to the full deployment of soldiers across the border area was 鈥淚srael鈥檚 occupation of five border positions.鈥�
Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel was to withdraw all its forces from south Lebanon, but its troops remain in five positions that it deems 鈥渟trategic.鈥�
The security official meanwhile said that Hezbollah has been cooperating with the army.
鈥淗ezbollah withdrew and said 鈥榙o whatever you want鈥�... there is no longer a military (infrastructure) for Hezbollah south of the Litani,鈥� the official said.
The official added that most of the munitions found by the army were either 鈥渄amaged鈥� by Israeli bombing or 鈥渋n such bad shape that it is impossible to stock them,鈥� prompting the army to detonate them.