The deadline for withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon expires, but troops will remain

The deadline for the withdrawal of Israel from southern Lebanon has expired early on Sunday, but the troops will remain in some areas, as Israel claims that the Agreement to terminate the fire with Hezbollah has not been fully met.

60-day agreementWho was the mediation of the United States and France and ended a 14-month conflict, provided for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from South Lebanon and the removal of Hezbollah’s fighters and weapons from there.

At the same time, thousands of Lebanese soldiers will be located in the area where Hezbollah has been the dominant force for decades.

This is the first major test for the new Lebanese president, head of the army, Joseph Aun, who seeks to bring stability to the country.

On Saturday, his cabinet stated that “intensive contacts and consultations” continue to deal with the situation south, including “dangerous Israeli practices”.

It is not clear how Hesbullah will answer, but any resumption of hostilities will probably encounter a strong opposition in the country.

The conflict escalated last September with an intense Israeli air campaign in Lebanon, the murder of senior Hezbollah leaders and a land invasion of South Lebanon.

The offensive killed about 4,000 people in Lebanon – including many civilians – and led to the displacement of more than 1.2 million inhabitants.

On Friday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s cabinet said the withdrawal outlined in the termination of the fire was “dependent on the deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon and the full and effective application of the agreement while Heslavla is withdrawn beyond Litans”, a river of about 30 km (20 miles) of the blue line – the unofficial border between Lebanon and Israel.

“As the fire termination agreement has not yet been fully imposed by the Lebanese state, the process of gradual withdrawal will continue, in complete coordination with the United States,” the statement said without specifying how long the Israeli forces can remain in Lebanon S

It is also unclear how many Israeli soldiers have remained in the country.

In a statement on Saturday, the Lebanese army said it continued to “implement the plan to strengthen” in the areas along the border, but that there were “delays in some stages due to the delay of the Israeli enemy in the withdrawal, which complicated the placement of the army mission” S

He also urged residents to refrain from returning to the border areas.

There is no immediate reaction from Hezbollah. On Thursday, the group stated that failure to comply with the deadline would be “a clear violation of the agreement, an attack on Lebanese sovereignty and entry into a new phase of occupation”.

But the statement does not say how the group will react if the Israeli troops remain in the country.

A Western diplomatic employee familiar with the negotiations, who speaks on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations, said Israel said that he needed more time to destroy the South Lebanon Hezbollah infrastructure and that the original plan was for 30-day extension.

The lack of comment from Hezbollah on how he will react is probably an indication of the delicate position in which the group is located.

Iran -supported by Iran, the militant, political and social movement was very weakened in the conflict with Israel, although it continues to enjoy significant support among the Muslims Shiites in Lebanon.

The fire termination agreement was widely perceived as capitulation by the group after its infrastructure and arms arsenal were exhausted and hundreds of fighters and key figures were killed, including longtime leader Hassan Nasarala.

Despite some violations, the reconciliation put an end to the violence that caused the destruction and damage to billions of dollars, that allows thousands of residents to return to their homes in LebanonS

If he decides to resume his attacks, Hezbollah would face the opposition from critics who accused the group of having involved Lebanon in war that was not in the interest of the country, and probably even by some of its own supporters.

Hezbollah’s political influence also decreased.

Earlier this month, the Parliament of Lebanon succeeded choose president after more than two years of political impasse accused by the critics of the group.

Aun has promised ambitious reforms for the restoration of state institutions, long -affected by corruption, revival of the collapsed economy after years of crisis and the right to monopolize the possession of weapons, which would mean an attempt to limit the military power of Hezbollah.

It remains unclear whether the army is able – and wants to do so, against the background of fears that any action against the group can cause internal violence.

Israel’s stated goal in his war against Hezbollah was to allow the return of about 60,000 inhabitants who were displaced by communities in the northern part of the country due to the attacks of the group, and to remove them from the border areas.

Hezbollah launched her campaign the day after Hamas’ attacks against South Israel on October 7, 2023, saying he was acting as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.