BEIRUT, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army is building fortifications, bunkers, and watchtowers on the Lebanese side of Mount Hermon heights, a Lebanese security source told Xinhua on Wednesday.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that the newly created Israeli sites directly overlook vast Lebanese areas in eastern and southern Lebanon.
"From the Lebanese village of Ain Aata and the town of Rashaya al-Wadi, located in eastern Lebanon, you can clearly see the Israeli military workshops, which include several bulldozers, excavators, and cranes working to pave roads to connect the hills and build several bunkers, fortifications, and watchtowers," said the source.
The source added, "This Israeli move constitutes a border violation of Lebanese territory, as part of this road and some of the Israeli construction sites are located on the western Lebanese side of Mount Hermon."
Mount Hermon straddles the border between Lebanon and Syria, and the highest peak reaches 2,814 meters above sea level.
Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he had ordered the Israeli army to prepare to remain on the summit of Mount Hermon throughout the winter.
The Israeli army seized the summit of Mount Hermon and several sites in the occupied Syrian Golan after the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad's government in December. ■
