Hezbollah claims it has handed over most sites in southern Lebanon to nation’s army
Source close to terror group says it has withdrawn from 190 of 265 military positions ‘identified’ south of the Litani River
BEIRUT — Most military sites belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon have been placed under Lebanese army control, a source close to the terror group said Saturday.
A November 27 ceasefire that ended more than a year of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, including two months of full-blown war, stipulated that only United Nations peacekeepers and Lebanon’s army should be deployed in the country’s south.
The deal required the Iran-backed terror group to dismantle its remaining military infrastructure in the south and move its fighters north of the Litani River, which is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Israeli border.
“Out of 265 Hezbollah military positions identified south of the Litani, the movement has ceded about 190 to the army,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
The stipulation was also part of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, but Hezbollah never adhered to the obligation and continued to build up its forces and positions to an unprecedented degree in recent years.
On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah began launching near-daily rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel in support of the Hamas terror group, a day after its massive, deadly assault on southern Israel. The attacks forced the evacuation of 60,000 northern residents, killed dozens of people and caused significant damage.
Israel hit back with airstrikes, and by September 2024, the conflict escalated into open war, during which Israel decimated Hezbollah’s leadership and stockpiles. The war ended in a late November 2024 ceasefire, which has largely held despite mutual accusations of violations.
Under the agreement, Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon while Hezbollah was to remove its military infrastructure from the area. Troops remain in five points deemed “strategic” by the Israeli military. Israel also maintains the right to strike targets that pose an imminent threat.
In recent days, some Hezbollah officials have signaled a willingness to discuss the group’s arsenal with the country’s government. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, a US-backed former army chief whose election in January ended a two-year impasse, has vowed to seek a state monopoly on arms.
The United States deputy special envoy for the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, discussed disarming Hezbollah with senior Lebanese figures during her visit to the country a week ago, a Lebanese official said.
In an interview with Lebanese television channel LBCI, Ortagus said, “We continue to press on this government to fully fulfill the cessation of hostilities, and that includes disarming Hezbollah and all militias.”
She said it should happen “as soon as possible.”
The United States chairs a committee, which also includes France, tasked with overseeing the ceasefire.
The Times of Israel Community.