The Israeli military has recently redeployed to various locations in southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah that mandated both forces to withdraw from the area by Sunday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, stated that the objective is to facilitate the effective deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the dismantling and removal of Hezbollah, its operatives, and infrastructure from southern Lebanon.
Residents of villages near the southern border with Israel have been barred from returning home, as per the IDF spokesperson. The IDF noted that the implementation of the agreement is progressing, with the withdrawal of Israeli forces being carried out gradually. Additionally, the IDF accused Hezbollah of utilizing propaganda and announcements to exacerbate the situation.
Addressing the people of Lebanon, Adraee urged them not to allow Hezbollah to manipulate them to conceal the adverse consequences of its irresponsible decisions at Lebanon's expense. The Lebanese army, on the other hand, accused the Israeli military of procrastination regarding its anticipated withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Israel was supposed to withdraw all its forces from southern Lebanon as part of the ceasefire agreement that concluded months of conflict with Hezbollah. However, the Israeli government announced on Friday that some of its forces would remain in southern Lebanon, attributing this decision to Lebanon's failure to fulfill its obligations under the agreement.
According to the November ceasefire deal, both Israeli and Hezbollah forces were required to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26, marking the end of a 60-day period specified in the agreement. Hezbollah issued a warning on Thursday, stating that if the Israeli military persisted in Lebanon beyond Sunday, it would be deemed a blatant violation of the agreement.
