The Israeli army said on Monday that after a period for complete forfeiture on Tuesday, it will maintain strength in five locations in South Lebanon. The announcement raised concerns about the revival of violence in South Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.
After more than a year of war, both sides at the end of November came to a ceasefire, which was dependent on Israel and Hezbollah until the end of January, which advanced control of the southern Lebanon to the Lebanon army. Hezbollah has long dominated the region, while Israel captured a large part after Lebanon attack in September.
At the end of January, the Mediacs announced a three -week extension of this agreement, which provided Israel more time to complete their withdrawal. The ceasefire was often pierced by outbursts of violence-including the Israeli air strike on Monday, killed by the leader Hamas in the southern Lebanon-but no party returned to the war on a full scale.
Now, the ghost of the renewed conflict will reappear after the Israeli army has announced that it will maintain some units in Lebanon for 18 February, which will potentially prevent some Lebanese civilians from returning home.
“We will not leave a temporary small amount of soldiers at five strategic points along the border in Lebanon so that we can continue to prevent our inhabitants and ensure that there is no immediate threat,” said col. Nadav Shoshani, military spokesperson, briefing for reporters on Monday afternoon.
Colonel Shoshani named several places spread over most of the length of 75 miles of border, including places across the borders from Israeli villages, which was seriously damaged by the rocket fire of Hezbollah during the war. He said that Hezbollah did not take place on his own side of the November agreement and still represented the threat to Israeli inhabitants in these areas. He refused to say how long the occupation would take. It is not clear to what extent hezbollah has the presence in these areas.
Hezbollah leader, Naim Qass, vehemently against the idea that Israel keeps soldiers inside Lebanon during Sunday’s speech. But he stopped introducing to continue the attacks against Israel.
“Israel must be completely withdrawn on February 18,” Mr. Qass said. “This is an agreement.”
“Everyone knows how it is a profession,” he warned without other details.
The war between Hezbollah and Israel broke out after the Lebanese militia began shooting at Israeli military positions in solidarity with its ally Hamas, shortly after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023.
The conflict remained largely contained so that thousands on both sides of the border in the back and missile strikes moved into the full frontal war and the wide Israeli bombing of Lebanon cities in the second half of 2024.
Israel killed a large part of Hezbollah’s leadership in the air campaign and attacked the large lines of South Lebanon in movements that collectively moved more than a million people in Lebanon.
Israel said that her intention is to prevent Hezbollah to pose a threat to the north residents Israel, of which about 60,000 were forced to leave their homes because of the missile fire Hezbollah.
Gabby Sobelman contributed by reporting.
