The Israeli army refused to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by the agreed-upon deadline, which expires in just 72 hours.
During a closed meeting, military officials told members of the Knesset’s Foreign and Defence Committee that Israel would not pull out completely within the timeline outlined by the ceasefire agreement.
Brigadier General Uri Gordian, head of the Israeli military’s northern command accused Hezbollah of breaching the truce, with Lebanese forces allegedly supporting them, Israeli broadcasters reported.
Israel has so far only withdrawn from two Lebanese villages and has troops stationed in some 60 others, where it has forbidden civilians from returning.
Ahead of the truce deadline, Lebanese Parliament speaker Nabih Berri met with Chairman of the Committee to Monitor the Implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement US General Jasper Jeffers.
Netanyahu’s push for permanent occupation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an arrest warrant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, has reportedly made an appeal to US President Donald Trump, requesting approval for a permanent military presence in southern Lebanon.
But the Trump administration reportedly refused the request, urging Israeli forces to fully withdraw and comply to the terms of the ceasefire. The Biden administration previously considered granting Israel an additional 30 days beyond the 60-day withdrawal period stated in the truce agreement.
The ceasefire deal, signed on 27 November, stipulated that Israel would gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon over 60 days, allowing Lebanese army forces to take control of the border and key crossing points.
However, Israeli officials have suggested that this timeline may not be respected. Sources within Israeli media revealed that Netanyahu sought Trump’s endorsement to retain five strategic military outposts in the area, refusing to fully withdraw from the area.
During a meeting on Wednesday with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Ján Kubiš, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen claimed that Israel remained “committed” to the ceasefire but insisted that any withdrawal would be determined by Israel’s “security needs.”
The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon has accused Israel Saturday of a “flagrant violation” of the 2006 Security Council resolution that forms the basis of its November ceasefire with Hezbollah.
Ceasefire violations
The fragile truce brought an end to Israel’s attacks on Lebanon that began in October 2023 and escalated into a full-scale war by 23 September, 2024.
Despite the agreement, Lebanese authorities have reported more than 470 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, which have killed 32 people and wounded 39 others.
Only four days after the deal came into effect, an Israeli drone strike killed two people and wounded two others in the town of Rab Thalatheen. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has not launched attacks across the border since the deal went into effect.
Lebanese officials have called for stronger international pressure on Israel to uphold the ceasefire terms, stressing that the continued Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon is a violation of its sovereignty.
The ongoing Israeli offensive has taken a heavy toll on Lebanon, with reports of over 4,000 casualties and nearly 17,000 wounded, including thousands of women and children.
The war has displaced around 1.4 million people, the majority of whom are from towns hit hardest by the recent escalation in late September.
