Lebanese former minister: Israel has destroyed villages since ceasefire

Ali Hassan Khalil, a top aide to Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, said on Monday that Israel had destroyed the whole or parts of 39 villages in southern Lebanon since a ceasefire was agreed with Hezbollah last week.

Khalil, formerly Lebanon's finance minister, is part of the Amal movement, which is allied with Hezbollah.

He said the powerful explosions carried out by Israeli forces had destroyed civilian homes in the south and amounted to “a clear war crime”.