Media reported IDF intentions to remain in Lebanon longer than 60 days

The Israel Defense Forces intends to maintain its presence in Lebanon for a longer period than the 60 days approved in the ceasefire agreement. This was reported by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on December 25.

Representatives of the Israeli armed forces noted that the military will have to remain in Lebanon until the IDF fulfills its obligations under the terms of the ceasefire agreement. These include establishing full control over southern Lebanon.

Long Conclusions: Israel delays withdrawal from Lebanon

IDF troops left only one town during the truce with Hezbollah

Earlier, on December 21, Izvestia was told by the UN peacekeeping mission that Israel had withdrawn its troops from only one town in the south of the country during the ceasefire with Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement.

Prior to that, on December 9, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that after the change of power in Syria, the radical Palestinian movement Hamas was in "final isolation," which creates new opportunities for an agreement on Gaza. On November 28, Dmitry Gendelman, advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister, told Izvestia that Israel has not changed its position on Hamas after the truce in Lebanon.

The escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah came after the events of September 17 and 18, when thousands of people, including employees of the movement, were injured when pagers and other communication devices exploded in Lebanon. The country blamed Tel Aviv for what happened. Since then, Israel has continued to eliminate the leadership of the Shiite movement and strike Lebanese territory.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected the territory of Israel to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.