NNA - The media office of the Lebanese Forces on Monday issued a statement criticizing Hezbollah’s portrayal of recent events in southern Lebanon. 

The statement condemned Hezbollah’s narrative that Israel was driven out of occupied villages by local residents, ignoring the 22 martyrs who died in the process. 

The Lebanese Forces pointed out that Israel only withdrew from villages it had already declared to leave, and Hezbollah’s actions led to further suffering and unnecessary bloodshed.  

The statement finally called on the Lebanese government to give clear instructions to the Lebanese army to ensure the safe return of residents based on military assessment. It also emphasized that the Lebanese state, not Hezbollah, is the true protector of the country’s sovereignty, rejecting any attempts to replace the state's authority with militia actions.

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