Israeli troops remain beyond the withdrawal deadline

Israeli troops have remained in southern Lebanon beyond Sunday’s deadline for their withdrawal after saying a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah had not been fully implemented.

60-day agreementwhich was brokered by the US and France and ended 14 months of conflict, stipulated the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and the removal of Hezbollah fighters and weapons from the area.

At the same time, thousands of Lebanese soldiers are set to be deployed to the area where Hezbollah has been the dominant force for decades.

It was not clear how many Israeli soldiers remained in Lebanon as of Sunday and how much longer they intend to stay.

As the deadline passed and some residents tried to return to their homes, despite warnings from both the Lebanese and Israeli armies, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said three people were killed and 44 wounded by the Israeli military. There was no immediate comment from Israel.

This is the first major test for Lebanon’s new president, army chief Joseph Aoun, who is eager to bring stability to a country wracked by multiple crises. In a statement issued on Sunday, he said Lebanon’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable”, adding that he was “following this issue at the highest levels”.

The conflict escalated last September, leading to an intense Israeli air campaign over Lebanon, the assassination of senior Hezbollah leaders and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. The offensive killed around 4,000 people in Lebanon – including many civilians – and displaced more than 1.2 million residents.

On Friday, the Israeli prime minister’s office said the withdrawal outlined in the ceasefire was “conditional on the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement while Hezbollah withdraws beyond Litani”. a river about 30 km (20 Miles) from the Blue Line – the unofficial border between Lebanon and Israel.

“Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue in full coordination with the United States,” the statement said.

In a statement on Saturday, the Lebanese army said it continued to “implement the plan to improve deployment” in areas along the border, but that there had been “delays in some phases due to the Israeli enemy’s delay in withdrawing mission”.

A Western diplomatic official familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Israel had said more time was needed to destroy Hezbollah’s infrastructure in southern Lebanon and that the initial plan was for a 30 -day extension.

There has been no immediate reaction from Hezbollah. On Thursday, the group said failure to meet the deadline would be a “flagrant violation of the agreement, a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and an entry into a new phase of occupation”.

However, the statement did not say how the group would respond if Israeli troops remained in the country.

This is possibly an indication of the delicate position in which the group finds itself. The Iranian-backed militant, political and social movement was severely weakened in the conflict with Israel, although it continues to enjoy significant support among Shia Muslims in Lebanon.

The Voksefire deal was widely seen as a surrender by the group after it saw its infrastructure and weapons arsenal depleted and hundreds of fighters and key figures killed, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Despite some violations, the ceasefire stopped the violence that caused billions of dollars in destruction and damage, allowing thousands of residents to return to their homes in Lebanon.

If it decides to resume its attacks, Hezbollah will face opposition from critics who had accused the group of dragging Lebanon into a war that was not in its interests, and possibly even from some of its own supporters.

Hezbollah’s political influence has also diminished.

Earlier this month, Lebanon’s parliament was able to Elect a president after more than two years of political curse accused by critics in the group.

Aoun has promised ambitious reforms to rebuild state institutions long plagued by corruption, revive the collapsed economy after years of crisis and the right to monopolize possession of weapons, which would mean trying to limit Hezbollah’s military power.

It remains unclear whether the army is able – and willing – to do so, amid concerns that any action against the group could spark internal violence.

Israel’s stated goal in its war against Hezbollah was to allow the return of around 60,000 residents who had been displaced from communities in the country’s north due to the group’s attacks, and to remove it from areas along the border.

Hezbollah launched its campaign the day after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, saying it was acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.