by JNS
The terrorists' repeated violations of the ceasefire and the Lebanese Armed Forces’ slow deployment to the region have raised concerns in Jerusalem.
If the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization refuses to withdraw from Southern Lebanon in accordance with the terms of the Nov. 26 ceasefire agreement with the Lebanese government, the deal will be void, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Sunday.
“Israel is interested in the implementation of the agreement in Lebanon and will continue to enforce it fully and without compromise to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” Katz said during a visit to an Israel Defense Forces base in Israel’s north.
“But the first condition for the implementation of the agreement is the complete withdrawal of the Hezbollah terror organization beyond the Litani River, the dismantling of all weapons, and the [removal] of the terror infrastructure in the area by the Lebanese army, something that hasn’t happened yet,” the Israeli defense minister continued.
“If this condition is not met, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act independently to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” he said.
U.S. presidential envoy Amos Hochstein, who played a pivotal role in brokering the ceasefire agreement, will travel to Beirut on Monday for talks with top Lebanese officials.
Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen news outlet, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, cited the head of the terrorist organization’s Coordination and Liaison Unit, Wafiq Safa, as saying on Sunday that its ally in parliament, Speaker Nabih Berri, would meet with Hochtein to discuss “Israeli violations.”
Israel will likely soon notify the United States that it does not intend to withdraw its forces from Lebanon when the 60-day ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah expires.
According to the terms of the truce, which went into effect on Nov. 27, the Lebanese Armed Forces is to deploy south of the Litani River. The ceasefire bars Hezbollah from reorganizing in Southern Lebanon.
However, the Lebanese military has been slow to mobilize its troops and Hezbollah is attempting to rebuild its capabilities.
The Lebanese Armed Forces has also refrained from attacking Hezbollah targets provided by Israel via a mechanism developed especially for this purpose.
In light of these circumstances, as an extra measure to protect the communities of the Galilee and Golan Heights, Israel is expected to inform Washington that it will not allow the return of Lebanese civilians to their villages alongside the Israeli border.
According to Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, Lebanese Armed Forces sources have received “serious signals” from chairman of the Ceasefire Implementation Mechanism U.S. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers that Israel is planning to extend its 60-day deployment period in Southern Lebanon to 90 days.
The report added that Israel may extend its stay until April, wanting to ensure that Hezbollah cannot initiate a ground attack into the Jewish state’s north.
The report cited the inability of the Lebanese Armed Forces to clear the region of Hezbollah terrorist sites and warehouses as a reason for Israel to prolong its stay in the region.
Israel is struggling to understand the delays in the Lebanese Army’s deployment, it was recently reported. One possibility is operational difficulties related to dispatching large, capable forces to the south. Another factor could be Hezbollah pressuring the Lebanese Army to avoid taking positions in Southern Lebanon, leaving a vacuum for Hezbollah to exploit later.
In recent weeks, Israel has repeatedly complained to international bodies about the slow pace of the Lebanese Army, as well as about Hezbollah’s violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Last week, the IDF identified and destroyed additional Hezbollah infrastructure in Southern Lebanon, including a tunnel and various weapons. It is believed that more armaments and facilities remain, and significant efforts are being made to locate and neutralize them in the coming weeks. Simultaneously, Israel continues operations along the Lebanon-Syria border to prevent Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons from smuggling weapons into Lebanon from Syria.
On Thursday, Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck rocket launchers in Southern Lebanon belonging to the Iranian-backed terrorist organization, according to the IDF.
The strikes were launched after the Lebanese Armed Forces failed to process a request from Jerusalem to confiscate the launchers, which “posed a threat to the Israeli home front and our forces,” the IDF said.
IAF jets were said to have targeted at least two Hezbollah sites housing medium-range projectiles, including in the Nabatieh area.
“The IDF will continue to act to remove any threat to the State of Israel, in accordance with the understandings of the ceasefire agreement,” the statement concluded.
JNS
Source: https://www.jns.org/israel-reportedly-planning-to-prolong-stay-in-southern-lebanon/
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