Protests and road blockings continue in a number of Lebanese areas

Today, sit-ins, protests and road blockings continued in some Lebanese areas  demanding  the speedy formation of the government, the improvement of the living situation and combating corruption.

A number of students gathered in front of Jounieh Telephone Station, closed its entrance, and prevented the  entry of employees and citizens, chanting slogans against financial and banking policy.

According to the Lebanese National Media Agency, the protesters closed the road of Dahr al-Ain and the Kafr Aqqa road in Koura, north of Lebanon, with burning tires.

In Sidon, protesters closed the eastern highway, Riad El Solh Street, and the “sea road” with burning tires.

In Akkar, the Halba highway is still closed  by a number of protesters with dust, iron and plastic obstacles, barrels and tires since last Tuesday night.

In Tripoli, North Lebanon, the highway in Baddawi continues to be closed in both directions by concrete barriers and trucks, which prevented teachers from Tripoli and other neighborhood from reaching their schools in Beddawi, Minya, and Akkar, which in turn led to the  immobilization at all levels.

The traffic control room reported that the roads closed  in the Bekaa are: Talbaya, Saadnayel, Jadita El-Aali, Marj, Zahle Roundabout, and Kassar.

The control room  indicated that all roads within Beirut area are passable after the Lebanese army worked to open them throughout the night.

In Tyre,  all public and branch roads leading to the city are open, and the public and private schools have been opened as usual.

Secretary General of the Lebanese Red Cross, George Kettana, stated that 35 cases of suffocation and injuries on Wednesday night were transferred to hospitals following clashes between demonstrators and security forces near the Helou barracks in the Mar Elias area in Beirut

The clashes lasted for hours as the demonstrators broke and destroyed a number of banks and damaged them in the Corniche of Mazraa and Mar Elias.

On the other hand, Israeli enemy aircraft and warships renewed the violation of Lebanese airspace and territorial waters.

“Eight hostile Israeli warplanes and reconnaissance aircrafts violated Lebanese airspace over the town of Aitaroun and carried out circular flights over various Lebanese regions and opposite to the town of Chekka towards the south, reaching Beirut and its suburbs and  Baabda “, the Lebanese army command said in a statement.

Then, the Israeli warplanes headed towards the north, up to the sea, opposite the town of Tire and above Alma al-Sha’ab  town, reaching  Sidon and the Lebanese coast, then left towards the occupied lands, the command added.

The statement added that two Israeli warships violated Lebanese territorial waters opposite Ras al-Naqurah in seven stages, indicating that the issue of violation is being followed up  in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

Inas Abdulkareem