Israeli forces to stay in south Lebanon after ceasefire ends

Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon beyond a 60-day deadline stipulated in a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah because its terms have not been fully implemented, the Israeli prime minister’s office said on Friday.

Under the agreement, which took effect on November 27, Hezbollah weapons and fighters must be removed from areas south of the Litani River and Israeli troops should withdraw as the Lebanese military deploys into the region, all within a 60-day timeframe, meaning by Sunday at 4 a.m. (0200 GMT).

In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli military’s withdrawal process was “contingent on the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani”.

Since, according to Isreal, the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the statement did not say how much longer Israeli forces might remain in south Lebanon, where the Israeli military says it has been seizing Hezbollah weapons and dismantling infrastructue used by the Shi’ite armed group.