Hezbollah Urges Lebanon to Enforce Israeli Withdrawal
Beirut, Lebanon – Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem has demanded that the Lebanese government enforce the implementation of the ceasefire agreement mandating the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
"Israel must fully withdraw by February 18th. There can be no excuses," Kassem said in a televised address on Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV. "It is the Lebanese state’s duty to do everything in its power to ensure Israeli withdrawal," he added.
On Thursday, an Israeli official stated that the army would withdraw as agreed by Tuesday. However, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reported that Israel had requested to maintain five army positions in southern Lebanon, a request Berri rejected.
A ceasefire went into effect on November 27th, following months of fighting between the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia and the Israeli military. The agreement initially stipulated that Israeli troops would withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26th.
The deadline was extended to February 18th after Israel announced its soldiers would remain in place due to Lebanon’s alleged failure to fully meet all conditions. In response, the Lebanese army asserted that the delays in implementing the agreement were caused by the Israeli enemy’s slow withdrawal.
Under the ceasefire deal, only the Lebanese army and peacekeepers from the UN mission UNIFIL are to remain in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah is also expected to retreat from the border area north of the Litani River and dismantle its military outposts.
On Sunday, the official Lebanese news agency NNA reported that a woman was killed in the southern border town of Hula. According to the report, Israeli soldiers opened fire when displaced people attempted to return to their homes. Lebanese state media also claimed that the Israeli military abducted three Lebanese citizens.
The Israeli military reported conducting airstrikes on Hezbollah arms depots, which they alleged contained rocket launchers.
Both Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire.
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel escalated after the radical Islamic Hamas movement, allied with the Lebanese militia, launched a major offensive against Israel on October 7, 2023. Hezbollah engaged in intense fighting with Israel from September to November of last year. The militia emerged significantly weakened from the confrontation, with many of its top leaders killed.
Additional Context
- Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite militant group that has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and other Western countries.
- Israel and Hezbollah have fought several wars and conflicts over the years, with the latest major confrontation occurring in 2006.
- The ceasefire agreement was brokered by the United Nations and ended the most recent round of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.
- The full implementation of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon remain key challenges and potential sources of renewed conflict.
