Residents in the ruins of Khiam, in southern Lebanon. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — American General Jasper Jeffers, chair of the committee established to monitor the cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel, released a statement on Friday saying he's "confident" the Lebanese Army will achieve full deployment in southern Lebanon by Feb. 18.
His optimism comes amid a tense period marked by Israel's second request to extend the deadline for its withdrawal into March and to remain indefinitely at several strategic points along the border, which Lebanese authorities vehemently rejected.
A truce has been in effect since Nov. 27 between Israel and Hezbollah, after more than a year of cross-border fighting in parallel with Hezbollah's ally in Gaza, Hamas, which was following in mid-September, 2024, by two months of all-out war during which Israel invaded southern Lebanon and launched a massive bombing campaign across the country's east and south.
The cease-fire agreement, brokered by the U.S. and France, stipulated that the Lebanese Army must deploy alongside U.N. peacekeepers south of the Litani River, while the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw over a 60-day period ending Jan. 26.
Israel requested and was granted an extension to its occupation in the South, where it has been conducting daily controlled demolitions of homes and has killed more than 60 people. It is now meant to be withdrawn from all Lebanese territory by Feb. 18.
'Full implementation' of the agreement's 13 points
In a statement released by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) following the fifth meeting of the monitoring committee, also known as "the Mechanism," in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, the general said "significant progress" had been made in recent months.
Legal Agenda, a Beirut-based non-profit research and advocacy organization, recorded 855 violations of the cease-fire deal, both aerial and on the ground, perpetrated by the Israeli army, in 60 days. The army has not ceased to bomb, shell, and shoot at residents of the South, and blames its ongoing occupation on the Lebanese Army, which is says is not deploying swiftly enough.
Still, Jeffers said he believed the Lebanese Army "will control all population centers in the Southern Litani Area before next Tuesday."
He also pointed out that the 13 paragraphs of the cease-fire agreement contain "several components" and that the committee will "continue to assist in implementing all these principles, even after Feb. 18," and that efforts will continue "with all parties until a full implementation" of the agreement.
Shortly after the cease-fire was signed, a letter sent by the U.S. to Israel was leaked, revealing that the two allies had made a side agreement which stipulates that the U.S. “recognizes Israel's right to respond to Hezbollah threats.”
Withdrawal 'to the Blue Line'
"The Mechanism" meeting, attending by representatives of all five members (France, U.S. UNIFIL, Lebanese Army and the Israeli army) was held to prepare a "military technical plan for the transfer of all remaining villages in the southern Litani area under the full control of the Lebanese Army before Feb. 18," according to the CENTCOM statement.
Earlier in the day, a senior Israeli security official told AFP that contrary to reports in recent days, the Israeli army was ready to withdraw from Lebanese territory and transfer areas to the Lebanese Army by Feb. 18. The official, speaking anonymously, said that the Israeli army's withdrawal was underway and that "the next phase of the agreement states that we will withdraw to the Blue Line and hand over to the Lebanese Army, in an orderly manner, [control of] the area from which we are withdrawing."
"We are still deployed in accordance with the agreement monitored by the United States and are working closely with them to ensure that the transfer of responsibilities to the Lebanese Army is carried out as planned," the official added.
However, news also came out on Friday that Israel had rejected France's proposal for U.N. peacekeepers, including French troops, to replace Israeli forces at certain strategic points in southern Lebanon in order to guarantee an Israeli army withdrawal on Feb. 18.
"Israel is instead choosing to remain in these five crucial locations," The Jerusalem Post reported. Israel's public broadcaster said on Wednesday that the U.S. had authorized "long term" Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon following news from Reuters that Israel had requested another extension to the deadline for fulfilling the cease-fire's terms.
Overnight strikes on south Lebanon
Meanwhile, on the ground, Israeli soldiers advanced towards Khallet Ashour, northeast of Yaroun, in the district of Bint Jbeil, using heavy machine-gun fire in the area during this sweep operation.
The Israeli air force bombed sites along the Litani River, near Yohmor al-Shqeef, in Nabatieh district three times, as well as the area betwen Yater and Zebqinin in Bint Jbeil and Sour districts respectfully, striking four times. The army claimed it was targeting military sites belonging to Hezbollah.
During the night, after 11 p.m., the Israeli army demolished several houses in Houla, in the district of Marjayoun.
On Thursday, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri categorically rejected, on behalf of the Lebanese authorities, any extension of Israel's presence in southern Lebanon beyond the Feb. 18 deadline or for its army to remain indefinitely at several strategic points.
He made these remarks after meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, and General Jeffers, who had been in Tel Aviv the day before. Earlier in the day, President Joseph Aoun released a statement of his own saying "Lebanon is continuing contacts to force the Israeli army to withdraw on Feb. 18."
