Lebanese army redeploys in Shamaa after Israeli withdrawal

Lebanese troops have been deployed to the southern village of Shamaa following Israeli army withdrawal from the area, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement implemented just over a month ago.

Lebanese army units have now stationed in the village – which was invaded by Israel during its latest war on Lebanon –  in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) peacekeepers.

In a statement on X, the army said that their deployment would be “complete in the next stage”, while specialised forces would “conduct a survey of Shamaa with the aim of removing unexploded devices”.

Lebanese forces also warned residents not to approach the area due to potential danger posed by such devices, and to allow for the army’s deployment to be completed smoothly.

Israeli soldiers had reached the village in November amid its invasion of southern Lebanon, which occurred after it stepped up its attacks on the country, before turning into a fully-fledged war.

Israeli forces killed at least 3,768 Lebanese during the war, which began in parallel with the war in Gaza in October last year and expanded in September. Over a million people were displaced from their homes in targeted areas – namely the south, the Bekaa and southern suburbs of Beirut. 

The village was one of many in the Lebanese south to be frequently targeted by the Israeli army as it carried out attacks against Hezbollah and Lebanese infrastructure.

The village was also the site of the killing of an alleged Israeli historian who entered Shamaa to “investigate” a shrine in a bid to claim it as an artefact indicative of ancient Jewish land.

This is the second time the Lebanese army has been positioned to a south Lebanon village of town, as per the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah which demands that Israeli forces withdraw completely from the south, and requests the deployment of the Lebanese army instead.

The Lebanese army has also stationed itself in Khiyam, which was also invaded and heavily targeted by Israel.

Despite the ceasefire agreement’s conditions, Israeli forces have yet to fully withdraw and have attacked and killed several Lebanese since. Israeli reports have also indicated the army is seeking to extend its presence beyond the ceasefire agreement’s length of 60 days.

The Israeli army has committed at least 330 violations since, according to the Turkish Anadolu agency, while at least 33 have been killed.

Restoration efforts to begin

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman of Hezbollah’s Executive Council Sheikh Ali Damoush pledged that reconstruction efforts for Lebanon’s damaged villages will commence, during a speech on Monday, Lebanese media reported.

Damoush also stressed that the needed funds for such efforts –  as well as sheltering programmes – are “fully secured,” and ‘will reach those entitled” accordingly.

He also said that specialised teams are assessing damaged houses across the country accordingly, in a bid to rightfully assist the families and their homes. Families whose homes have been completely destroyed will be prioritised.

“I assure our honourable people that the funds for shelter and restoration are being secured in an appropriate manner, and all the campaigns of confusion will not affect our people’s confidence in their resistance,” he said.

Compensation to affected persons will also be paid, Damoush said, stressing that aid will reach “every deserving person possible”.

Hezbollah’s General Secretary Naim Qassem has formed a committee to supervise the reconstruction programme.

The cost of Israel’s damage to housing in Lebanon is estimated at $2.8 billion, with more than 99,000 housing units partially or fully destroyed, according to a World Bank report in November.

Extensive damage was done in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Bekaa Valley and the south – which were the main areas targeted by Israel.

Diplomatic visits

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud is expected to be in Lebanon in early January, the first visit by a top Saudi diplomat to the country since 2015.

Bin Farhan will be Beirut to discuss Lebanon’s much-awaited parliamentary session which will elect a president on January 9.

The country has been without a president since October 2022 and has faced a series of crises since.

The two countries have been involved in a series of diplomatic spats over the years, notably in 2017 and 2021.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian minster of foreign affairs also paid a visit to Lebanon, where he met with government, religious and business officials. Andrii Sybiha also met with the country’s Ukrainian community, and said Kyiv is “ready to deepen Ukrainian-Lebanese ties through political and economic cooperation”.

Sybiha’s Lebanon visit comes after he met with the leader of Syria’s interim government, Ahmed Al-Sharaa on Monday, as Kyiv seeks to restore diplomatic relations with Damascus after the fall of Bashar al-Assad – who was propped by Ukraine’s enemy Russia during his tenure.