THE Israeli army says it will leave soldiers in five locations in southern Lebanon past a deadline to withdraw from the country after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had raised concerns that a complete withdrawal would not be achieved.
Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said on Monday that the five locations in Lebanon provide vantage points or are located across from communities in northern Israel.
“We need to remain at those points at the moment to defend Israeli citizens, to make sure this process is complete and eventually hand it over to the Lebanese armed forces,” Shoshani told reporters.
He said the “temporary measure” was approved by the United States-led body monitoring the ceasefire, which came into effect in late November.
Lebanon had expressed concern earlier on Monday that Israel would not move all of its forces out of the country by Tuesday’s agreed deadline.
“We are afraid that a complete withdrawal will not be achieved tomorrow,” Aoun said in a statement.
“The Lebanese response will be through a unified, comprehensive national position,” the Lebanese president added.
Lebanon’s concerns over the Israeli army’s plans illustrate the fragility of the ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
They also come after several reports of attacks across Lebanon, a common tactic of the Israeli military on the eve of a cessation of hostilities.
A drone struck a car in the port city of Sidon, the deepest of Israel’s many attacks in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect on November 27.
The strike near a Lebanese army checkpoint killed a Hamas official who headed the group’s operations department in Lebanon, the Israeli military said.
