Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel suggested that his country might not meet the deadline to withdraw all its forces from Lebanon as required by a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. The agreement, reached in November, also calls for Hezbollah fighters to withdraw to the north of the Litani River, with Lebanese armed forces patrolling the buffer zone alongside UN peacekeepers. Netanyahu stated that the withdrawal process could continue beyond the 60-day deadline if necessary due to the Lebanese government not fully enforcing the agreement.
Israeli officials have been in talks with the US, which, along with France, brokered the ceasefire agreement. The Trump administration is in favor of a short extension to the ceasefire in Lebanon to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens returning to their homes in northern Israel while supporting the Lebanese government led by President Michel Aoun. The US also aims to prevent Hezbollah from threatening Lebanon and its neighbors.
There has been no immediate response from Lebanon or Hezbollah to Netanyahu’s statement. Overall, the focus is on extending the ceasefire deadline to ensure the safety of all parties involved while maintaining peace in the region.
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