DOHA, October 9. /TASS/. As a precondition for a ceasefire in southern Lebanon, Israel demands that Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia laid down weapons and pulled back its forces, the Al Arabiya television reported citing French diplomatic sources.
"Israel demands that Hezbollah lay down its weapons and retreat to the north from the Litani River in exchange for a ceasefire in Lebanon," one of the sources said.
On September 23, Israel started a military operation codenamed Northern Arrows against Hezbollah in Lebanon, carrying out widespread strikes at the group’s military sites. In a strike on September 27 Israel eliminated Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Overnight into October 1, Israel announced the start of a ground operation in the border areas of southern Lebanon.