Israel is looking for another extension of the deadline to withdraw its troops from South Lebanon, says Western diplomatic source, a request that is likely to cause new concerns in the country with the history of Israel’s occupation.
Israeli forces were to withdraw next week, but the source said that BBC Israel wanted his army to remain in five positions there for 10 days there until February 28.
A fire interruption agreement that ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the US and France and entered into force on November 27.
It requires the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and removing the Hezbollah fighter and weapons from there.
At the same time, thousands of Lebanese soldiers were expected to be distributed in a region where, for decades, Hezbollah was a dominant force.
The assistance was already expanded once – the initial deadline was January 26 – after Israel said that the Lebanese state had not fully implemented the agreement. Lebanon accused Israel of delaying his withdrawal.
One of the priorities of the new Lebanese government is the renewal of the territorial sovereignty of the country, and the authorities strongly reject another delay.
President Joseph Aoun insisted on Wednesday that “no truth” reports that another extension has been agreed, his office said. He also “repeatedly emphasized the insistence on Lebanon on the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops” until Tuesday.
The continuous presence of Israeli troops is the concern of many in Lebanon, because Israel has occupied the south in the country for 18 years, between 1982 and 2000.
Despite the interruption of the fire, Israel continued to aim for Hezbollah and vowed to perform more attacks on the group supported Iran to prevent him from returning or renewing his strength.
On Wednesday, Israeli war planes broke the sound barrier at a low altitude over the capital Beirut for the first time since the truce began.
Hezbollah, who is militant, political and social movement, was seriously weakened in conflict with Israel, although he still enjoys significant support among Shiite Muslims in Lebanon.
The arrangement of the fire was widely considered the surrender of the group, after his infrastructure and weapons Arsenal was exhausted, and hundreds of fighters and key figures killed, including the longtime leader of Hassan Nasrallah.
The conflict escalated last September, when Israel launched an intense air campaign across Lebanon, high leaders of Hezbollah were killed and attacked South Lebanon.
The offensive killed about 4,000 people in Lebanon – including many civilians – and led to a displacement of more than 1.2 million inhabitants, said Lebanese authorities. It also caused billions of dollars of destruction and damage.
Israel was the goal in his war against Hezbollah was to allow the return of about 60,000 inhabitants who were displaced from the communities in the north of the country because of the rocket, mortars and drones of the group, and to remove their weapons and infrastructure from the area along the border.
Hezbollah launched his campaign the day after the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, saying that it acts solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
