Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon: Latest developments

Israel is still pressing to win U.S. approval for retaining five strategic hills in south Lebanon that it deems as strategic for the security of its settlements, something that Lebanon has categorically rejected, media reports said.

“France has once again launched a mediation and French President Emmanuel Macron communicated with President (Joseph) Aoun and informed Israel of the Lebanese stance that rejects any extension of occupation,” informed sources told al-Akhbar newspaper.

Other sources told the daily that U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus will return to Beirut next week and will “brandish the five posts card in the faces of Lebanese officials.”

Israel’s Kan channel meanwhile said that the Israeli army has started constructing five posts inside Lebanese territory after Israel won a U.S. permission for keeping military forces in these posts after Tuesday’s ceasefire deadline.