Lebanese Army forces preparing to head south. (Photo from the army's X account)
As was the case for all Lebanese players directly involved in the implementation of the cease-fire agreement between Lebanon and Israel announced on Tuesday evening, the Lebanese Army stood at the ready at dawn on Wednesday to begin its mission of maintaining the truce in southern Lebanon. As part of the (strict, this time,) implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, the soldiers are tasked with replacing Hezbollah’s militiamen and overseeing the withdrawal of the latter’s weapons from south of the Litani River.
In response, Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said on Wednesday that his party will demonstrate “full cooperation.” How is this operation shaping up, and what is the plan to initiate this delicate task? Despite the recent diplomatic procrastination and uncertainty that preceded the final agreement, the military institution was already prepared, and had considered the necessary logistics and resources.
As we already know, in the first phase, the troops will gradually mobilize some 6,000 units to various locations, with the exception of areas and localities where Israeli forces are still stationed. The latter are expected to leave Lebanese territory for good within 60 days, at which point the Lebanese soldiers take control of the region.
In the meantime, the Lebanese Army already has some 4,500 troops in southern Lebanon, namely two brigades of 3,000 elements and a regiment of over a thousand soldiers, who will be distributed to sensitive areas. The latter had been redeployed in the past two months of fighting to positions relatively far from the border, as the army had not taken part in the war. The remainder, some 2,000 additional troops, will be gradually deployed, with the first contingents already southward bound on Wednesday morning.
“The extra troops were drawn from the ranks of the reserve units, which include special forces such as land and marine commandos,” retired General Khalil Gemayel told L’Orient-Le Jour. This is the fastest formula the troops have already opted for. In addition to the 6,000 soldiers who will gradually be assigned to this mission, the military institution planned other potential options in case of need.
Reservists?
A second option is to redeploy some of the units that were previously mobilized to relatively safe areas, such as the Chouf region. “They are trained and ready to take on their mission. They form a solid and cohesive corps, since they all know each other, which is an advantage,” added General Gemayel.
This presupposes that the Internal Security Forces will be able to take over in these so-called safe localities. “The ISF must fulfill their initial mission, to ease the burden on the army, particularly since it is not the role of the troops to maintain internal security. Rather [it is] at the border,” said Khaled Hamadeh, also a retired officer.
The army can now restore its duties at the border. For years, it was entrusted with the task of maintaining order and internal stability in support of the ISF, while its initial role at the borders had been confiscated by Hezbollah’s powerful presence.
“A final option is to mobilize the reservists, estimated at nearly 30,000, who can be called up at any time. These are former retirees who are still of military age,” said General Gemayel.
Nevertheless, this formula, which was tested in 2006, “is not the most practical,” said the former military men who pointed to efficiency and motivation-related issues, due to the advanced age of the callouts, but also the meager salaries the military receives. Most of them already have a job.
The army has yet to ensure that it can recruit, train and fund nearly 6,000 more troops within six to 10 months. The commitment relies on procuring adequate resources. On Oct. 24, at the invitation of the U.N., participants in the Paris conference pledged $200 million in aid to support Lebanon’s security forces, including the army.
“To date, Lebanon has received nothing,” a source close to the dossier told L’OLJ on condition of anonymity. However, it is unclear whether the reasons for withholding the money are to test the willingness and seriousness of the Lebanese in the implementation of Resolution 1701 during the 60-day transition period — before any payment is made.
The army’s ability to implement the resolution was put to the test already on Wednesday when soldiers were faced with residents from south of the Litani River as they rushed en masse to their villages, no-go zones where Israeli army soldiers are still deployed, such as Khiam. On Wednesday morning, a video of a local resident taking a photo in front of an Israeli tank circulated on social media. Immediately alerted, the Lebanese soldiers sealed off all access to this city.
“The Israelis started firing in the air to keep them away. The Lebanese military intervened quickly to contain the incident,” said an anonymous military source.
In a message on X, Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army warned inhabitants not to head south during this phase. This will be one of the many challenges that the army will be required to overcome to fulfill its duties in implementing the cease-fire in southern Lebanon.
