Lebanese army commander Rodolphe Haykal has said the military is close to completing the first phase of its current plan and has begun evaluation, study and preparation for the next stages, amid what he described as an exceptional and sensitive period for the country.
Haykal was speaking during an extraordinary meeting held at army headquarters in Yarze, attended by senior command staff, unit and brigade commanders and a number of officers.
The meeting focused on the latest developments facing Lebanon and the army, particularly in light of continued Israeli violations and attacks.
The session opened with a minute of silence in honour of fallen soldiers and national martyrs, including a Lebanese soldier killed in an Israeli strike on the Quneitra–Maamariyeh–Sidon road on Monday.
Addressing attendees, Haykal said that at a time of heightened challenges, the sacrifices and sustained efforts of soldiers across all ranks and roles remain a cornerstone of Lebanon's resilience and future.
He stressed that members of the armed forces are actively shaping the country's history through their commitment to the military's core principles, adding that these principles will not change regardless of pressure.
"We bow to the sacrifices of our soldiers, which contribute directly to the army's achievements," Haykal said.
"Every role is vital to the army's performance, and every act of dedication helps build a better future for our country."
Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian home in the south of the Israeli-occupied West Bank overnight, spraying tear gas at children and killing sheep, a Palestinian official said Tuesday. It was the latest in a surge of attacks by settlers against Palestinians in the territory in recent months.
Israeli police said they arrested five settlers.
The settlers smashed a door and a window of the home, firing tear gas inside that sent three Palestinian children under the age of 4 to the hospital, said Amir Dawood, who directs an office documenting such attacks within a Palestinian governmental body called the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.
He said settlers also entered the family's sheep pen, killing three sheep and injuring four others.
Israeli police said they arrested the five settlers on suspicion of trespassing onto Palestinian land, damaging property and dispensing pepper spray. They said they are investigating.
CCTV video from the attack in the town of As Samu’, shared by the commission, showed five masked settlers in dark clothing, some with batons, approaching the home and appearing to enter. Sounds of smashing are heard, as well as animal noises. Another video from inside shows masked figures appearing to strike sheep in the stable.
Photos of the aftermath, also shared by the commission, show smashed car windows and a shattered front door. Bloodied sheep lie dead as others stand with blood staining their wool. Inside the home, photos show broken glass and the furniture ransacked.
Dawood said it was the second settler attack on the family in less than two months.