Israel does not intend to withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon by Sunday, the goal specified in the terms of its ceasefire with Beirut, the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem said on Friday.
“The outline for the ceasefire in Lebanon stipulates that the IDF’s phased withdrawal *is supposed* be implemented within 60 days. The clause was worded this way with the understanding that the withdrawal process may extend beyond 60 days,” read the statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
“The IDF’s withdrawal process is conditional on the Lebanese Army deploying in Southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani [River]. Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the State of Lebanon, the phased withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States,” it stated.
Israel “will not endanger its communities and citizens, and will insist on the full implementation of the objective of the fighting in the north, which is the safe return of residents to their homes,” it continued.
The ceasefire went into effect on Nov. 27, meaning the 60-day goal date will fall on Sunday. The ceasefire paused exchanges of fire. Hostilities began on Oct. 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza.
In recent days, Israeli troops in Lebanon continued to find weapons caches and attack platforms that Hezbollah has built near the border, and which Israel has been stripping away during the fighting.
During IDF operational activity in the Wadi Saluki area of southeastern Lebanon last week, Israeli troops located several significant underground routes intended to be used by Hezbollah terrorist operatives, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit reported. The structures were dismantled, the statement said.
The troops also located a weapons cache inside a mosque, a vehicle loaded with weapons, hundreds of mortar shells, explosives, rockets, weapons and additional Hezbollah military equipment.
Another unit located trucks carrying heavy-rocket launchers, along with several weapon storage facilities containing many rockets, missiles, launchers, mortar shells, explosives and military equipment. The weapons were confiscated, and the storage facilities were dismantled.
Another cache was found in the village of Ayta ash-Shab.
Israel’s position on its forces in Lebanon has been coordinated with the United States, according to Michael Herzog, the outgoing Israeli ambassador to Washington. He confirmed on Thursday that Jerusalem was in talks with President Donald Trump’s administration to delay the IDF withdrawal from Southern Lebanon.
“We are holding discussions with the Trump administration to extend the Sunday date to withdraw from Lebanon,” the diplomat told Israel’s Army Radio, speaking on his last day as ambassador. “I believe we will reach an understanding,” he added.
