The Lebanese Army said on Saturday it was ready to deploy its forces in the country's south, accusing Israel of "procrastination" in its withdrawal under a cease-fire, a day before the pullout deadline.

Under the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire that ended the war in Lebanon and came into effect on Nov. 27, the Lebanese Army is to deploy alongside United Nations peacekeepers south of the Litani River as the Israeli army withdraws over a 60-day period that ends Sunday.

Hezbollah is to pull back its forces north of the Litani River — about 30 kilometers from the Israeli border — and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.

"There has been a delay at a number of stages as a result of the procrastination in the withdrawal from the Israeli enemy's side," the army said in a statement.

It said it was "ready to continue its deployment as soon as the Israeli enemy withdraws."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Friday that the military's withdrawal would continue beyond the Sunday deadline.

"The withdrawal process is conditional upon the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, with Hezbollah withdrawing beyond the Litani River," a statement from Netanyahu's office said.

"Since the cease-fire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue in full coordination with the United States."

Noteworthy that the Israeli forces in southern Lebanon have consistently hindered the Lebanese Army's deployment. On Jan. 21, Israeli tanks cut off the road to Wadi Slouqi (Marjayoun) and advanced towards Bani Hayyan halting the Lebanese Army’s planned deployment to Tallouseh. 

Cease-fire mediators the United States and France have helped monitor its implementation.

The United States said on Friday that "a cease-fire extension was urgently needed" in Lebanon and that it was pleased the Israeli military has started withdrawing from central regions of the country.

"We are pleased that the IDF has started the withdrawal from the central regions, and we continue to work closely with our regional partners to finalize the extension," said Brian Hughes, White House National Security Council spokesperson.

'Be cautious' 

The accusation from the Lebanese Army comes after U.N. chief Antonio Guterres called on Jan. 17 for Israel to end its "occupation" of Lebanon.

In a telephone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun spoke of the "need to oblige Israel to respect the terms of the deal in order to maintain stability in the south," his office said.

Aoun said last week that Israel must "withdraw from occupied territories in the south within the deadline set by the agreement reached on Nov. 27."

Lebanon's Army urged people to "be cautious in heading back to the southern border areas, due to the presence of mines and suspicious objects left behind" by Israeli forces.

Lebanese state news agency NNA reported that some people displaced from border areas had received international calls, purportedly from an Israeli military spokesperson, warning them not to return home.

It said several border villages had been sealed off by the Israeli army while troops carried out demolitions. It reported one resident wounded by Israeli fire.

A Lebanese government source told AFP that "caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati contacted the new U.S. administration, warned of the gravity of Israel's attempt to circumvent the implementation of the cease-fire, and stressed the need to respect deadlines."

A Lebanese military source said Israeli forces had "completed their withdrawal from the western sector" of the south in early January, but "have not completed their withdrawal from the eastern sector."

'Flagrant violation' 

Hezbollah began exchanging low-intensity cross-border fire with the Israeli army the day after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas which triggered the war in Gaza. It said its actions were in support of Gaza, firing the first shots at the disputed Shebaa Farms.

Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah in September, launching a series of devastating blows against the group's leadership that saw its longtime chief Hassan Nasrallah killed in an air strike in Beirut.

Hezbollah warned on Thursday that "any violation of the 60-day deadline will be considered a flagrant violation of [the cease-fire] agreement, an infringement on Lebanese sovereignty and the occupation entering a new chapter."

It said the Lebanese state should use "all means necessary ... to restore the land and wrest it from the clutches of the occupation."

A committee composed of Israeli, Lebanese, French and U.S. delegates and a representative of U.N. peacekeeping force UNIFIL is tasked with ensuring any cease-fire violations are identified and dealt with.

The U.N. peacekeeping force has reported Israeli violations of the terms of the cease-fire.

In line with the cease-fire agreement, Guterres said peacekeepers had also found more than 100 weapons caches belonging "to Hezbollah or other armed groups."