Israel pursuing ‘scorched earth’ policy, says Lebanon PM, as IDF pushes deeper into country’s south

Residents checking destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes in Ansariyeh. Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks across southern Lebanon late Friday and into Saturday killed at least 15 people and wounded several others, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen Residents checking destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes in Ansariyeh. Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks across southern Lebanon late Friday and into Saturday killed at least 15 people and wounded several others, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock Israel pursuing ‘scorched earth’ policy, says Lebanon PM, as IDF pushes deeper into country’s south Nawaf Salam says Israel collectively punishing southern Lebanon and forcing people ‘into exile’ but defends security talks with Tel Aviv Lebanon’s prime minister accused Israel on Saturday of pursuing a “scorched-earth policy” in his country’s south, urging a halt to the fighting as Israel carried out fresh airstrikes and issued evacuation warnings for more than a dozen locations. A day after the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu , said his forces had advanced deeper into Lebanon, his counterpart Nawaf Salam warned the country was facing a “dangerous” escalation, and called for “a swift and real ceasefire”. In a televised address, Salam accused Israel of “pursuing a scorched-earth policy and collective punishment” by “destroying towns and villages, and forcing their inhabitants into exile”. The Guardian view on Lebanon’s suffering: the ‘ceasefire’ didn’t stop Israeli attacks. Now they’re intensifying again | Editorial Read more This will bring “neither security nor stability” to Israel, he said. Israel’s military said on Sunday its forces were advancing in Lebanon as part of expanded ground operations to strengthen its military position in the south of the country where it is fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah . “A significant number of IDF ground soldiers commenced offensive operations aimed at expanding the Forward Defense Line ... the operation is currently expanding to additional areas,” the Israeli military statement said, adding its forces had crossed the Litani river. Meanwhile, Reuters reported the Israeli military saying one of its soldiers had been killed in combat in Southern Lebanon. There were also reports that the IDF had captured a strategic castle in the south, possibly its deepest incursion into Lebanon in 26 years. Salam on Saturday defended his government’s engagement with its southern neighbour, after military delegations from both countries held security talks in Washington on Friday, with more US-brokered negotiations planned next week. Salam said the outcome of the negotiations was “not guaranteed”, but called them “the least costly path for our country and our people”. A truce to halt the fighting between Israel and Tehran-backed Hezbollah officially took effect on 17 April, but has never been observed. Both Israel and