IDF begins withdrawal from south Lebanon town

Israeli soldiers enter southern Lebanon from the Israeli side of the border, on January 2, 2025. Photo by Ayal Margolin/Flash90

Israeli forces began withdrawing from the south Lebanon border town of Naqura, US envoy Amos Hochstein told reporters during a visit to Beirut on Monday.

“The Israeli military started its withdrawal from Naqura … and back into Israel proper today, south of the Blue Line,” Hochstein said, according to AFP, referring to the UN-demarcated border between Lebanon and Israel.

“These withdrawals will continue until all Israeli forces are out of Lebanon completely, and as the Lebanese army continues to deploy into the south and all the way to the Blue Line,” he said.

Since March 23, 1978, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has based its headquarters in Naqura.

The Israeli withdrawal takes place midway into a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The ceasefire was signed on Nov. 26 and took effect the following day, ending nearly 14 months of hostilities.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Sunday that if the Iranian-backed terrorist organization refuses to withdraw from Southern Lebanon in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement with the Lebanese government, the deal will be void.

“[T]he first condition for the implementation of the agreement is the complete withdrawal of the Hezbollah terror organization beyond the Litani River, the dismantling of all weapons, and the [removal] of the terror infrastructure in the area by the Lebanese army, something that hasn’t happened yet,” Katz said.

According to the agreement, over 60 days, Israeli forces would gradually withdraw from Southern Lebanon, where they have been operating since early October. They reached as far as north as the Litani River for the first time since 2000.

As the IDF withdraws, Lebanese army forces are to enter these areas and ensure that Hezbollah retreats north of the Litani, located some 18 miles north of the border with Israel.

Israel has carried out several strikes in southern Lebanon since the deal was signed to counter Hezbollah violations of the agreement.

“The IDF continues to be committed to the understandings regarding the ceasefire in Lebanon, is deployed in Southern Lebanon, and will act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens,” the IDF said.

Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the US-proposed ceasefire by a vote of 10-1, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir opposing the move.

The United States and France are to oversee compliance by receiving regular updates from diplomats and military officials.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, the key points of the agreement include Hezbollah and other armed groups refraining from offensive actions against Israel, and in turn Israel not attacking Lebanon by land, air or sea.

Both sides were to recognize the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brought an end to the 2006 Second Lebanon War but was never enforced.

It mandated the complete demilitarization of Hezbollah south of the Litani River and prohibited the presence of armed groups in Lebanon except for the official Lebanese army and UNIFIL.

The ceasefire also recognizes Beirut’s and Jerusalem’s inherent right to self-defense and mandates that only Lebanese security forces will be allowed to bear arms in the south.

Arms transfers to Lebanon are to be monitored by the Lebanese government and unauthorized weapons facilities and infrastructure are to be dismantled.

With reporting by JNS.