The Israeli government announced that its military will not completely withdraw from Lebanon by the agreed deadline of January 26, 2025. Reports suggest that Israel requested a 30-day extension from the United States to complete the withdrawal.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah last November ended 14 months of conflict, with an agreement for Israeli troops to leave Lebanon within 60 days and for Hezbollah to retreat north of the Litani River. However, Israel claims Lebanon has not complied with the agreement, citing insufficient deployment of Lebanese troops and the discovery of new Hezbollah weapons caches.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office stated that the withdrawal is dependent on Lebanese army deployment in South Lebanon, and that the gradual process continues in coordination with the United States. The Lebanese government argues it cannot fully deploy troops until Israeli forces withdraw.
Hezbollah has warned that missing the deadline is a breach of the agreement.
Source: NOS