Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire: Why Is Israel Still in South Lebanon? | Israel attacks Lebanese news

On the day when the Israeli forces were due to withdrawal Under the ceasefire agreement, Lebanese health officials reported that the Israeli army had killed at least 15 people in the south.

At least And 83 people were wounded The Israeli army opened fire when people tried to return to their homes, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said in a statement on Sunday.

The killings appear to be another violation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah and mark the latest in a series of violent attacks since it began in November.

The reconciliation brought a reduction in the number of daily attacks on southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs. However, Israeli forces remained in South Lebanon to conduct demolition operations in border villages.

Here is the situation in southern Lebanon on the last day of the ceasefire.

What are the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah truce?

Under the Israel-Hezbollah terms, Hezbollah agreed to withdraw above the Litani River, which runs across South Lebanon, and Israel was to withdraw all troops from Lebanese territory for a period of 60 days.

Once the Israeli army came out, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were to enter, followed by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

Furthermore, the LAF should ensure that they are the only Lebanese armed presence in South Lebanon.

However, Israeli forces were still in the south on Sunday, and both sides denied any blame for not following the terms of the truce. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said in recent days that the Israelis will remain at certain points in southeastern Lebanon.

When did the ceasefire expire?

Israeli forces had to withdraw from Lebanon as the ceasefire expired at 02:00 GMT on Sunday.

Why is Israel refusing to withdraw from South Lebanon?

A UN source told AL Jazeera on Friday that while Israeli forces had withdrawn from large parts of western and central South Lebanon, data on the ground suggested they were preparing to hold points in the east.

Netanyahu blamed the delay on Lebanon, saying Hezbollah did not withdraw sufficiently from the border region. Lebanon denies the claim and has called on Israel to respect the deadline.

Israel also justified this by saying that the LAF was not fast enough in deploying throughout the south. The LAF rejected the claims, saying they were fully ready for deployment.

Unifil, which previously reported on Israeli violations, called on both sides to abide by the terms of the ceasefire.

Israel’s Ahronoth newspaper reported on Friday that Israel had asked the new administration of US President Donald Trump to extend the deadline, arguing that the Lebanese army had deployed south too slowly and allowed Hezbollah to regroup.

How many times has Israel violated the November 27 ceasefire agreement?

According to investigations by media organizations and think tanks, Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement hundreds of times.

Al Jazeera Sanad agency monitored the region and noted that Israel was not withdrawing troops during this period, but instead used the ceasefire to reinforce military positions seized during previous combat operations.

Sanad confirmed more than 30 videos and images documenting Israeli ground incursions and airstrikes inside Lebanon during the ceasefire.

According to Anadolu Agency, there were at least 660 incidents, while the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a pro-Israel think tank, said Israel had committed at least 800 airspace violations since November 27.

The Israeli army also entered new areas it was unable to penetrate before the cease-fire agreement and demolished numerous civilian homes. Sanad determined that 4.5 square kilometers (1.74 sq mi) of land, primarily along the village in the first place, was subject to demolition and bulldozing by Israeli forces.

At least 90 people in Lebanon were killed by the Israeli army between the ceasefire and early December, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

What did the Lebanese government say?

The country’s leaders called on Israel to respect the terms of the agreement and for citizens to trust the Lebanese army.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who is himself from South Lebanon, sent a message to residents of the area imploring them to trust the army and remain calm.

“Lebanese sovereignty and territorial unity are non-negotiable, and I am pursuing this issue at the highest levels to ensure your rights and dignity,” he said in a statement.

Those sentiments were echoed by Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who said he had full confidence in the LAF to protect Lebanon’s sovereignty and return residents to the south. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, also from South Lebanon, called on the international community to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah has not issued a public statement, but Hassan Fadlallah, a parliamentarian linked to the group, appeared on local television station Al-Jadeed to praise the people pushing into their southern villages. Hezbollah has not yet presented a military response.

Due to the cutting of its supply lines in Syria by the fall of the al-Assad regime, “Hezbollah’s military capabilities and regional influence have been reduced, leaving it more vulnerable to Israeli demands,” Imad Salamey, a political scientist at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, said.

What was the international reaction?

On January 25, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun, and stressed the need for Israel to comply with the terms of withdrawal from the ceasefire agreement.

The UN’s Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Passchaert, and Unifil’s Head of Mission, Aroldo Lazaro, released a joint statement saying that “the timelines set out in the November understanding have not been met” and called on displaced communities to “vigilate for Caution”.

During a visit a week earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the need for the Israeli army to withdraw.

Are Lebanese civilians allowed to return to the region?

Thousands of Lebanese have returned to their homes in the south since November 27. In the hours after the armistice took effect, tens of thousands of people headed south to visit their countries and homes.

However, the Israeli military spokesman declared no start zone in many villages in southern Lebanon. He warned against returning to prominent villages such as Shebaa, Al-Habbariyeh, Marjayoun, Arnoun, Yohmor, Qantara, Chaqra, Braachit, Yatar and Al-Mansouri because they were declared “restricted zones”.

On Saturday, the day before the truce was to conclude, messages circulated among southerners calling for groups of people to assemble near the village on Sunday morning and march toward them.

A member of the Lebanese Civil Protection Force stationed near the southern town of Meiss El-Jabal told AL Jazeera early Sunday that Israeli tanks were still blocking the road and that people were not allowed through.

Israel, which claimed Hezbollah was behind groups of residents gathering, opened fire on people moving toward their villages, although some locals were able to squeeze into their towns and were followed by the LAF.

What will happen next?

The Lebanese army has built checkpoints at many points near the southern villages to try to manage the situation. The army also entered certain villages, as did some villagers.

Videos circulating on social media showed residents coming face-to-face with Israeli tanks or soldiers in some areas, while in others they were filmed fleeing as gunfire could be heard in the background.

Some villagers were seen waving Hezbollah, or their allied Amal, flags and others carried pictures of the late Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.

As for Israel, Salamey, a political scientist, says its decision not to leave represents its long-term strategy to reshape Lebanon’s political and military landscape to “neutralize any threats emanating from a post-Syrian Hezbollah.”

“It reflects a broader vision of securing Israel’s security and influence in the region while preventing Hezbollah from regaining its former strength,” he said.