JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli forces will remain in South Lebanon beyond the 60-day deadline stipulated in the cease-fire agreement with Hezbollah, as its terms have not been fully implemented, the Israeli prime minister’s office announced on Friday.
Under the agreement, which came into force on November 27, Hezbollah weapons and fighters must be removed from the area south of the Litani River, and Israeli troops should withdraw as Lebanese forces deploy to the region, all within 60 days, meaning by Sunday at 4am (0200 GMT).
The deal, brokered by the United States and France, ended more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Iran’s Hezbollah. The fighting culminated in a major Israeli offensive that left Hezbollah severely weakened and displaced more than 1.2 million people in Lebanon.
In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli army’s withdrawal process “depends on the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively implementing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond Litani.”
“Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully implemented by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue, fully in coordination with the United States.”
The statement did not say how long Israeli forces could remain in South Lebanon, where the Israeli military says it has seized Hezbollah weapons and dismantled infrastructure used by the Shi’ite armed group.
There was no immediate comment from Lebanon.
Hezbollah has nailed the conflict with Israel
A Hezbollah official, reached for comment, referred Reuters to a statement issued by the group on Thursday. It said any delay in the withdrawal would be an unacceptable breach of the agreement and put pressure on the Lebanese state to act. It said the state would have to deal with such violations “in all ways and methods guaranteed by international charters.”
The Israeli military said in a statement that it remained deployed in southern Lebanon and “continues to operate in accordance with the understanding of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.”
Israeli troops have carried out strikes against Hezbollah weapons depots and active observation posts in South Lebanon in the past few days, it said.
The White House said a “short, temporary extension of the ceasefire is urgently needed,” citing President Donald Trump’s commitment to ensuring Israeli citizens can return to their homes and also supporting the Lebanese government.
“We are pleased that the IDF has begun its withdrawal from the central regions, and we continue to work closely with our regional partners to complete the expansion,” National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said.
Israel said its campaign against Hezbollah was aimed at ensuring the return home of tens of thousands of people forced from their homes in northern Israel by Hezbollah rocket fire.
It dealt a major blow to Hezbollah during the conflict, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah and thousands of the group’s fighters and destroying much of its arsenal.
Hezbollah was further weakened in December when its Syrian ally, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted by rebels, reducing its overland route from Iran.
