Israel’s military will remain in Lebanon as ceasefire deadline nears

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) connected Friday confirmed that it volition support its forces successful southern Lebanon arsenic the 60-day truce comes to an extremity connected Sunday.

Under the ceasefire woody agreed to successful November, Jerusalem was to statesman withdrawing troops from its bluish neighbour – wherever it launched operations past autumn successful an effort to dismantle Hezbollah – and person each troops removed wrong 60 days. 

But Israeli officials person argued that the IDF volition not retreat its forces, due to the fact that stipulations nether the deal, including the removal of Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from the confederate portion of Lebanon, and the deployment of Lebanese and U.N. troops to the area, person not been adequately fulfilled. 

Israeli soldiers from the 769th Brigade proceed to run successful confederate Lebanon, rooting retired Hezbollah threat. Image provided connected Jan. 24, 2025. (Photo provided by the IDF)

LEBANON'S NEW PRESIDENT STRIKES A NATIONALISTIC TONE AMID REGIONAL SHIFTS, FURTHER WEAKENING OF HEZBOLLAH

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bureau said successful a connection Friday, "Since the ceasefire statement has not yet been afloat enforced by the Lebanese government, the gradual withdrawal process volition continue, successful afloat coordination with the United States.

"The State of Israel volition not endanger its communities and citizens," the connection added, noting that the withdrawal of Israeli forces was "conditional" connected the security guarantees from Hezbollah and Beirut. 

The U.S. backed Israel's determination and successful a statement archetypal reported by The Times of Israel said, "President Trump is committed to ensuring Israeli citizens tin safely instrumentality to their homes successful bluish Israel, portion besides supporting President Aoun and the caller Lebanese government.

"All parties stock the extremity of ensuring Hezbollah does not person the quality to endanger the Lebanese radical oregon their neighbors. To execute these goals, a short, impermanent ceasefire hold is urgently needed," White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes told the outlet. 

"We are pleased that the IDF has started the withdrawal from the cardinal regions, and we proceed to enactment intimately with our determination partners to finalize the extension," helium added.

Mourners respond during the ceremonial of Hezbollah subordinate Hassan Ghassan Hijazi, who was killed by an Israeli onslaught successful Tayr Debba, successful confederate Lebanon, January 11, 2025.  (Photo by Courtney Bonneau/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

The quality that Israel whitethorn not beryllium pulling each troops from Lebanon by the intended Jan. 26, 2025 deadline archetypal emerged connected Thursday. 

Hezbollah, successful return, issued a connection and called connected the Lebanese authorities and the nations that helped broker the truce, including the U.S. and France, "to determination effectively" to "[ensure] the implementation of the afloat withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese service to the past inch of Lebanese territory and the instrumentality of the radical to their villages quickly."

The connection urged governments "not to springiness country to immoderate pretexts oregon arguments to prolong the occupation."

ISRAELI OFFICIAL REVEALS HOW 'TO TRULY DEFEAT HEZBOLLAH'

More than 1.2 cardinal radical were reportedly displaced successful Lebanon aft warring erupted amid Israel's October incursion – a determination prompted pursuing months of rocket exchanges with Hezbollah successful the aftermath of the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. 

According to Israeli authorities spokesperson David Mencer, "There person been affirmative movements wherever the Lebanese service and UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force successful Lebanon] person taken the spot of Hezbollah forces, arsenic stipulated successful the agreement."

However, these movements successful confederate Lebanon "have not been accelerated enough, and determination is overmuch much enactment to do," helium told reporters connected Thursday, according to Reuters. 

Israeli soldiers from the 769th Brigade proceed to run successful confederate Lebanon, rooting retired Hezbollah threat. Image provided connected Jan. 24, 2025. (Photo provided by the IDF)

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Israeli reports connected Friday suggested that Jerusalem had petitioned the Trump medication to assistance it a 30-day hold connected afloat withdrawing its forces from its bluish neighbor. 

Fox News Digital could not instantly scope the White House, State Department oregon Lebanese authorities for comment.