TEL AVIV, June 25. /TASS/. Israel has not withdrawn its troops from southern Lebanon, and the position of IDF soldiers within the security zone remains unchanged, the IDF press service told TASS following a Reuters report suggesting that some units had pulled out.

"The position of IDF soldiers in the security zone in southern Lebanon has not changed," the spokesperson stated. "The IDF is acting in accordance with the directives of the political leadership," he added. Earlier, Reuters, citing a US Department of State official, reported that Israel had withdrawn from part of the buffer zone in southern Lebanon.

According to an earlier statement from the Lebanese President’s Office on social media, military delegations from the US, Lebanon, and Israel are engaging in discussions in Washington to define the geographic boundaries of "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon. These zones are intended to come under Lebanese army control following the withdrawal of Israeli troops. The negotiations are currently focused on delineating the boundaries and establishing mechanisms for implementing the agreements reached. The concept of "pilot zones" was proposed by the US during the fourth round of talks held in Washington on June 2-3.

In June, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding calling for an immediate ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon. Subsequent talks on implementing this memorandum took place on June 21 in Buergenstock, Switzerland, with brokered discussions facilitated by Doha and Islamabad. Additionally, the US Senate later passed a resolution aimed at ending hostilities with Iran. Meanwhile, on June 22, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that, in light of US-Iranian talks and the calls for halting hostilities in Lebanon and withdrawing Israeli forces, the Israeli military had received approval from the country's leadership to operate freely in Lebanon to counter threats.