TEL AVIV, February 18. /TASS/. Israel's army leaving southern Lebanon will maintain its presence at five strategic points on the Lebanese territory, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday.
"Starting today, the Israel Defense Forces will remain in the buffer zone in Lebanon at five strategic positions along the Lebanese border in order to ensure the protection of settlements in the north [of Israel]," he wrote on his X social media page.
Katz emphasized that the Israeli army will "fully continue to counter [Lebanese Shiite movement] Hezbollah." "We will not allow a return to the situation of October 7 [2023]," the minister pointed out.
The Ynet news outlet reported earlier that Israeli troops will withdraw from southern Lebanon within the next 24 hours as part of the ceasefire agreement, except for five strategic positions. According to Kan radio, the Israel Defense Forces will stay at the five points indefinitely to prevent Hezbollah from resuming activities in southern Lebanon.
The ceasefire of November 27, which was brokered by the US and France, stipulated that the Lebanese armed forces would deploy along the entire southern border with the support of UN peacekeepers, while Hezbollah would pull back beyond the Litani River. Israel was given 60 days to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, where they conducted a ground operation. On January 27, the White House announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend the deadline for Israeli troops to leave Lebanese territory until February 18.