Report: Israeli army readying to stay in Lebanon more than the 60 days agreed in ceasefire

Sources in the Israeli army have told the Haaretz newspaper that the Israeli military “will have to stay in Lebanon until the Lebanese army can fulfill its commitments under the terms of the cease-fire deal, which include attaining full control of southern Lebanon.”

Thursday marks 30 days since the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect, as part of an agreement brokered by the U.S. and other countries.

“The IDF (Israeli army) says that in the last 30 days, 44 Hezbollah militants who violated the agreement have been killed in IDF strikes. Out of 120 such violations by Hezbollah, the army attacked during 25 of them,” Haaretz reported.

“At the moment, the IDF is satisfied with the agreement's implementation and with the United States' involvement in its enforcement, which has taken place in coordination with the Lebanese army,” the newspaper added.

The Israeli army is currently present in all Lebanese villages near the border fence, and their residents have not yet been allowed to return.

The Israeli army has started building the infrastructure for outposts along the northern border, some of which will be located in Israeli-controlled enclaves beyond the border fence, but which do not cross the international border between the two countries. However, in certain locations considered vulnerable, outposts will be established in enclaves situated beyond the Israel-Lebanon border, Haaretz said.

The Israeli army estimates that Hezbollah lost 30 percent of its manpower in the war and 75 percent of the firepower it had on October 6, 2023. The defense establishment assesses that Hezbollah still has hundreds of short-range rockets alongside hundreds of longer-range missiles.