Lebanese return to their town in Aadayseh, Lebanon, on Feb. 18, 2025. The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
"As of today, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will remain in a security buffer zone in Lebanon at five strategic positions," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
Katz said the military "will continue to enforce with full force and without compromise against any Hezbollah violation."
Additionally, the IDF has established "numerous" positions along the Israeli side of the border to secure Israeli communities near Lebanon in case the fragile ceasefire collapses, he added.
Lebanon's National News Agency reported that Lebanese forces had completed their deployment in the liberated areas by midnight. Meanwhile, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon patrolled the villages and established several positions in cooperation with the Lebanese army.
A Lebanese military source told Xinhua that army engineering teams had cleared obstacles and explosives in the vacated areas since dawn to prepare for civilians' return.
However, several border municipalities advised residents to delay their return to allow the army to conduct security sweeps and ensure their safety, the news agency reported.
The deadline for Israel's full withdrawal from southern Lebanon expired early Tuesday as part of a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, which took effect on Nov. 27. The deal ended hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, which had erupted on Oct. 8, 2023, following the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza.
Under the agreement, Israel was to withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days, a deadline that initially expired on Jan. 26 but was extended until Feb. 18 following a U.S. proposal. ■
A Lebanese army soldier deployed in the border town is pictured in Aadayseh, Lebanon, on Feb. 18, 2025.
The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
A Lebanese army soldier deployed in the border town is pictured in Aadayseh, Lebanon, on Feb. 18, 2025.
The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Feb. 18, 2025 shows United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrolling in Kafr Kila, Lebanon.
The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Feb. 18, 2025 shows people standing near a destroyed building in Kafr Kila, Lebanon, on Feb. 18, 2025.
The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Feb. 18, 2025 shows a member of the Lebanese army positioning at the entrance to Kafr Kila, Lebanon, after the Israeli army withdrew from it.
The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)
Lebanese army soldiers are deployed close to the presence of the Israeli army, which has kept five positions inside Lebanese territory, in Markaba, Lebanon, on Feb. 19, 2025. The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
An Israeli tank appears in one of the five locations where Israel kept its forces inside Lebanese territory, in Markaba, Lebanon, on Feb. 19, 2025. The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
Lebanese army soldiers are deployed close to the presence of the Israeli army, which has kept five positions inside Lebanese territory, in Markaba, Lebanon, on Feb. 19, 2025. The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
Lebanese army soldiers are deployed close to the presence of the Israeli army, which has kept five positions inside Lebanese territory, in Markaba, Lebanon, on Feb. 19, 2025. The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
Lebanese army soldiers are deployed close to the presence of the Israeli army, which has kept five positions inside Lebanese territory, in Markaba, Lebanon, on Feb. 19, 2025. The Israeli army withdrew from border areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday but remained in five positions, an Israeli official said, despite the expiration of the deadline for a full withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
