BEIRUT: An aid convoy organised by the Vatican envoy to Lebanon that was headed for Christian villages in the country’s south was stopped by the Israeli military and forced to change course, a convoy member said on Friday.

A number of Christian-majority villages near the border have been caught up in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, but many residents have refused to leave.

“While approaching the village of Debl on Thurs­day, we got face-to-face with several Israeli tanks” who stopped the convoy, the member said.

“There were several tank and machinegun shots towards rear positions that we could not identify... which caused panic,” he added.

The person said it was not clear “whether they (Israelis) wanted to intimidate us or they were targeting Hezbollah positions”.

The convoy included 25 trucks and several cars transporting residents want­ing to return home.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2026