BEIRUT- The Israeli military retained five outposts just over its northern border but has otherwise withdrawn from Lebanon in keeping with Tuesday’s deadline, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.
Lebanese soldiers took over positions vacated in 13 villages, the army said. The handover is part of a US-brokered truce between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, according to which a full pullout was set to happen by the extended deadline.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a meeting with the prime minister and the house speaker earlier where the three agreed to appeal to the United Nations Security Council to pressure Israel into withdrawing from all Lebanese territories.
The truce between Hezbollah and Israel will likely hold, even if skirmishes may take place.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement troops would stay “in the buffer zone in Lebanon in five outposts and will continue to enforce forcefully and without compromise against any violation by Hezbollah.”
Developments at its southern border come at a crucial time for Lebanon. The country’s first elected government in more than two years is trying to regain full territorial control and demonstrate the Lebanese army is able to eliminate foreign occupation.
Aoun said Monday Israel “cannot be trusted” and his country would prepare a united response. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held phone calls with several Arab and Gulf officials seeking to raise pressure on Israel to call its remaining troops from Lebanon.
Retaining the five positions across the border, Israel says, is a necessary measure to guarantee the safety of its northern communities until Hezbollah, Iran’s strongest proxy, is disarmed and unable to build back up.
Hezbollah began shelling Israel a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 8, 2023. The ceasefire signed in November halted a conflict which led to thousands of fatalities and the evacuation of civilian areas on both sides of the border.
Both Hezbollah and Hamas are designated terrorist groups by the US and many other countries.
Ali Hussein a Lebanese political observer commented on Israeli retention of the 5 outposts by saying : ” Instead of defending Lebanon Hezbollah always rewards Isreal whenever it launches its attacks . In its 2006 war with Israel Lebanon lost the northern part of Ghajar to Israel and Israel refused to hand it back to Lebanon”. This shows again and again that Hezbollah is only interested in expanding Iran’s influence and doesn’t give a damn about Lebanon nor its respected Shiite community which ends up suffering the most as a result of Hezbollah’s reckless acts . It is mighty time that Hezbollah should be disarmed”
(Bloomberg)