US General Jasper Jeffers, in charge of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire implementation committee, has informed Lebanese officials that Israel will extend its presence in the country by another 30 days, according to “informed sources” quoted on Saturday by the Lebanese Al Akhbar news outlet.
The move would see the IDF remaining in southern Lebanon for a total of at least 90 days in the effort to achieve Israel’s goals of dismantling Hezbollah’s capability to attack the Jewish State.
“Israel must take its time in implementing the objectives of its ground operation in dismantling Hezbollah facilities and warehouses in light of the Lebanese Army’s inability to clear the area,” Jeffers told Lebanese officials, according to the report.
Sources who spoke with the Lebanese news outlet said Israel’s presence in southern Lebanon could extend to April.
“The matter hinges on Israel’s achieving its goals to guarantee the elimination of Hezbollah’s abilities to launch an attack,” the sources were quoted as saying.
The report was confirmed by the Israel Broadcasting Authority. “Israel will inform Washington that it will not pull out because the Lebanese Army is not abiding by the agreement and Hezbollah is reorganizing its ranks,” the report said.
“Israel is also expected to tell the United States that it will not allow the residents of the Lebanese towns near the border to return to their homes,” the report added.
No Decision Yet
Israel’s largest daily newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, claimed, however, the report is not entirely accurate. “Until now, no decision has been made regarding the extension of the Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon,” Israeli sources told the news outlet.
Earlier this week, a senior officer in the IDF Northern Command underscored the necessity of maintaining strategic positions in Lebanese territory to defend communities along Israel’s northern border.
IDF Acts Where LAF Does Not
This past Thursday the Israeli Air Force struck Hezbollah medium-range rocket launchers located at a military site belonging to the terrorist organization and adjacent to an additional military site in the area of Nabatiyeh.
Prior to the strike — as part of the enforcement of the “understandings” between Israel and Lebanon — a request was sent to the Lebanese Armed Forces to neutralize the launchers that posed a threat to Israeli civilians and IDF troops.
The launchers were struck after the request was not addressed by the Lebanese Armed Forces, the IDF said, adding that it “continues to act to remove any threat to the State of Israel in accordance with the ceasefire understandings.”
Future Plans
Israeli media have reported on plans to build a new barrier along the border that will reportedly include anti-vehicle crossing technology to address the challenges posed by Hezbollah.
“The military continues monitoring agreement compliance through American intermediaries, sharing intelligence with Lebanese armed forces while evaluating their capacity to enforce agreement terms,” Israel Hayom reported.
“Current assessments suggest the Lebanese military will face significant challenges meeting force deployment requirements within the specified timeframe, given their resource constraints and competing priorities, particularly along the Syrian border,” according to the report.
