Israel prepares for withdrawal from Lebanon without clarifying the five sites' fate

The Israeli army is ready to withdraw from Lebanese territory and hand over control to the Lebanese Army "within the agreed timeframe" outlined in the U.S.- and French-mediated ceasefire agreement, a senior Israeli security official said Friday.  

The ceasefire, which took effect on November 27, initially set a 60-day deadline for Israeli forces to pull out of southern Lebanon in exchange for the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL reinforcing their presence. The agreement also required Hezbollah to withdraw from the area south of the Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure.  

The withdrawal deadline was later extended until February 18.  

"We remain deployed in accordance with the agreement, which the United States is monitoring," the Israeli official said on Thursday, speaking anonymously. "We are working closely with the U.S. to ensure the handover to the Lebanese Army within the designated timeframe."  

His remarks came as Israeli warplanes carried out overnight airstrikes, which the Israeli military said targeted Hezbollah military sites containing weapons and launchers that posed "a direct threat to Israel's home front."  

Lebanese media reported that Israeli aircraft struck locations near the town of Yater, while warplanes were seen flying over villages and towns in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said on Thursday that the United States had informed him that the Israeli army would withdraw from the villages it still occupies on February 18 but would remain in five points, something Lebanon rejected, he said.


The Israeli official did not clarify whether the withdrawal included these five points, but he noted that "the military withdrawal is taking place, and the next step in the agreement stipulates that we will withdraw to the Blue Line and hand over the area from which we withdraw to the Lebanese Army in an organized manner."

He noted that the Israeli army continues to monitor Hezbollah's movements, claiming: "We have witnessed several clear incidents where Hezbollah is trying to violate the agreement, such as its members infiltrating south in civilian clothes and trying to recover or remove ammunition, in addition to smuggling weapons in the Bekaa Valley."

The United Nations and Hezbollah have also accused Israel of committing violations during the ceasefire.