Lebanese Ministers of Defense and Public Works toured southern Lebanon on Wednesday to assess the scale of destruction caused by Israeli aggression on infrastructure and oversee efforts to restore roads, bridges, and vital services to facilitate residents’ return.
Michel Menassa, Defense Minister and Fayez Rassamni, Minister of Public Works and Transport visited the towns of Qaqaiyat Al-Jisr and Zawtar Al-Gharbiyah, inspecting a destroyed bridge and reviewing plans for a temporary crossing to maintain civilian movement until permanent reconstruction is completed.
Rassamni stressed the urgency of completing the temporary passageway, saying it would ease travel between the Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil districts. He also announced plans to rehabilitate damaged roads and retaining walls, including key routes linking Qaqaiyat Al-Jisr, Zawtar Al-Gharbiyah, Burj Qalaway, Qalaway, Srifa, and Al-Ghandouriyah.
بالصور | زيارة ميدانية جنوبية لوزيري الأشغال العامة "فايز رسامني" والدفاع "ميشال منسى" شملت بلدتي ققعية الجسر وزوطر الغربية للاطلاع على حجم الأضرار التي خلّفها العدوان الاسرائيلي في البنى التحتية والطرق والجسور ومتابعة الخطوات التنفيذية الرامية إلى إعادة تأهيلها pic.twitter.com/XBplWtZBRk
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During the visit, the ministers toured heavily damaged areas of Zawtar Al-Gharbiyah, where they inspected neighborhoods affected by widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure caused by Israeli attacks. They met residents who had returned to the town, while Lebanese army units worked to secure the area and remove hazardous remnants left behind by Israeli forces.
Rassamni said the Ministry of Public Works was moving beyond planning and studies toward direct field action, noting that the government had approved an emergency plan during the conflict to reopen roads, restore connectivity between villages, and establish temporary crossings over destroyed bridges.
For his part, DM Menassa said the Lebanese Army remained committed to restoring state authority, saying: “This land is ours and no one else’s. Our goal is to reclaim our land.”
He added that the return of residents to southern towns was a national priority, saying that state institutions must work together, with the army playing a central role in restoring security and sovereignty.
Source: Al-Manar English Website