Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Friday called on the United States to exert "pressure on Israel" for a full withdrawal from southern Lebanon, where its army still occupies five positions, contrary to the cease-fire agreement between the two countries that came into effect at the end of November and whose provisions were supposed to be implemented by Feb. 18.

Salam made this new appeal to the United States, one of the two guarantors with France of the truce agreement, during a visit to the Grand Serail by a U.S. Congressional delegation led by Lebanese-origin Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA 48th District). He said that "the necessity for Washington to put pressure on Israel for it to fully withdraw from the points it still occupies, as quickly as possible."

This continued occupation of the south is based on "no military or security justification" and constitutes a violation of the cease-fire agreement, U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, international law, and Lebanon's sovereignty, he said.

Issa said on behalf of the delegation his "support for Lebanon and the Lebanese army." The congressional delegation is also expected to meet with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the former army chief, and the foreign minister, Joe Rajji.

On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department reaffirmed its support for the Lebanese army, "the sole guarantor of security in Lebanon."

After a devastating war that lasted from October 2023 until the cease-fire in November 2024, the Israeli army, after delaying its withdrawal from southern Lebanon for more than two weeks, finally left the border villages it still occupied, paving the way for the deployment of the Lebanese army per United Nations resolution 1701. However, it maintained its presence at five points in the inland heights of Lebanese territory, deeming them "strategic." The official Lebanese government responded by announcing that it would file a complaint with the U.N. Security Council but favored only the diplomatic route, to Hezbollah's dismay.