Israel announced it will continue to occupy five strategic locations in southern Lebanon after the expiration of an 18 February deadline for the troops to withdraw, an Israeli military spokesperson said on Monday.
“We need to remain at those points at the moment to defend Israeli citizens, to make sure this process is complete and eventually hand it over to the Lebanese armed forces,” military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told a briefing with reporters, adding that the move was in accordance with the mechanism of the ceasefire agreement.
Officials in Lebanon continue to demand Israel’s full withdrawal after Tel Aviv missed and violated an earlier January cut-off under a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the office of President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon would consider any remaining Israeli presence on its lands an occupation, and that Beirut has the right to use all means to ensure a full withdrawal.
The New Arab looks at where the five points are and what they tell us about Israel’s intentions in its illegal occupation of southern Lebanon.
Where are the five sites in Lebanon that Israel continues to occupy?
- Jal al-Deir, south of Aitaroun, Bint Jbeil district, and facing the Israeli towns of Avivim and Malikiya.
- Jabal Blat: This mountain is located near Ramieh in the Bint Jbeil district, overlooking the southern coast from Sour to Naqoura. It also looks upon the Israeli towns of Shtoula and Zar’it.
- Labbouneh/Alma al-Shaab: Located in the Tyre district, it has a view of the coastline and maritime area to the west, as well as being in proximity to border villages of the Sour district to the East. This point is considered strategic both on land and at sea and overlooks the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters in Naqoura. It is also located opposite the Israeli town of Labbounneh.
- Israel also occupies a recently constructed military position along the Markaba-Houla road, in the Marjayoun district, which faces the Israeli towns of Margaliot.
- Hamames Hill: Located close to Khiam, also in the Marjayoun district, overlooking the village of Khiam and much of the Hasbaya region up to Ibl al-Saqi. Also faces the Israeli town of Margaliot.
Why is Israel continuing to occupy these areas of Lebanon?
As can be seen from the map above, all of the Israeli positions within Lebanon are close to towns in Israel. According to the Israeli army, these locations were selected for their elevation, offering “a wide view of the Lebanese territory,” as well as their proximity to the towns in northern Israel.
Israel’s justification for its illegal occupation is full of contradictions. On the one hand, it claims that it is necessary to ensure that Hezbollah has no military presence and infrastructure south of the Litani River, yet, on the other, it has repeatedly boasted of completely destroying Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the south of Lebanon.
Moreover, the original ceasefire agreement is entirely dependent on the Lebanese army and UNIFIL deploying in areas to ensure there is no Hezbollah military presence, yet Israel will not allow the Lebanese army and UNIFIL to do so. It claims the Lebanese army is not yet capable of doing so, yet the army has contradicted this and is ready to be deployed.
Speaking to The New Arab, Lebanese military expert Brigadier General Ali Abi Radd dismissed the Israeli claims, stating that the Lebanese military is fully prepared to deploy once Israeli forces leave. Lebanon currently has 6,500 to 7,000 troops stationed in the south, enough to take control of the vacated positions.
A ‘dead zone’? What are Israel’s intentions?
Israel has not given a definitive date for the end of its occupation, instead saying it could last “several months”, with each of the occupied sites comprising a full company of soldiers.
Abi Radd told The New Arab that Israel is hesitant to withdraw from five elevated positions due to their tactical significance, as their height allows Israeli forces to monitor and control surrounding areas through both direct observation and firepower.
While many within Lebanon fear Israel’s occupation is intended to create a buffer zone by grabbing land in the south, Abi Radd believes that Israel’s ultimate goal is not a traditional buffer zone but a “dead zone”—an area rendered uninhabitable through deliberate destruction.
Israeli forces have carried out bulldozing, demolitions, and targeted explosions, destroying infrastructure, farmland, and sewage systems in the occupied areas. By making the land unliveable, Israel aims to increase the cost of reconstruction for both Lebanon and local residents. Abi Radd also accused Israel of using internationally banned substances to cause long-term environmental damage.
‘Diplomatic contacts’ – how will Lebanon respond?
With Lebanon continuing to reel from Israel’s last brutal, catastrophic attack on the country, it is unlikely that Beirut would risk giving Israel an excuse to tear up the ceasefire. Instead, the most likely approach is diplomacy, though this is unlikely to yield any results, with the Trump administration appearing to fully back Israel’s policy in Lebanon and the wider region.
However, Lebanon’s president said Tuesday that Beirut was in contact with Washington and Paris, which helped broker the Israel-Hezbollah truce, to press Israel to complete its withdrawal from the country after the deadline passed.
“Lebanon is continuing its diplomatic contacts with the United States and France to complete Israel’s withdrawal from the remaining territories it occupied in the last war,” Joseph Aoun’s office said in a statement.
Hezbollah is also very unlikely to respond militarily to Israel’s occupation, though its leader Naim Qassem said in an earlier speech that Israel must withdraw fully from Lebanon on Tuesday, adding that “there is no pretext for five points nor other details.”
