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A senior Israeli security official said the IDF “has not yet withdrawn from any location in Israel’s security zone in southern Lebanon.”
By United with Israel Staff
Conflicting reports emerged Thursday over Israel’s military presence in southern Lebanon after Reuters reported that the IDF had partially withdrawn from parts of the security zone as part of a U.S.-backed plan involving the Lebanese Armed Forces. Israeli defense officials, however, quickly denied that any redeployment had taken place.
Citing a senior U.S. State Department official, Reuters reported that the partial withdrawal was intended as a “goodwill gesture” toward the Lebanese government ahead of ongoing diplomatic efforts.
According to the report, the plan calls for the Lebanese Armed Forces to assume responsibility for selected areas in southern Lebanon after undergoing extensive U.S.-led vetting and training designed to ensure participating troops have no ties to Hezbollah. Israel would reportedly continue maintaining military positions within the security zone to oversee and monitor the arrangement.
Israeli officials swiftly rejected the report.
A senior Israeli security official said the IDF “has not yet withdrawn from any location in Israel’s security zone in southern Lebanon,” while a military official added that the IDF “has received no instructions on the matter from the political leadership.”
Lebanese sources also said they were unaware of any Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the Reuters report.
The report came just a day after Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed that Israel would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, even if pressed by Washington.
“Even if there is an American demand, we will not withdraw from southern Lebanon,” Katz said Wednesday, insisting that Israel’s security interests would determine any future decisions.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Quds Force commander, Esmail Qaani, issued a direct threat to Israel over its continued military presence in Lebanon.
In remarks carried by Iranian state media, Qaani declared, “You must leave all of Lebanon. This land is a field of steadfastness and resistance, not a playground for occupiers.”
“If you do not withdraw of your own free will today, tomorrow you will be forced to flee in humiliation and defeat,” he warned.
The conflicting reports and Iranian threats come as Israel continues to insist that any decisions regarding its military deployment in southern Lebanon will be based solely on security considerations and the need to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing a presence along the border.
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