By Mohammad Sio
ISTANBUL (AA) - The Israeli military confirmed Monday that its forces will remain in five posts in southern Lebanon beyond the Feb. 18 withdrawal deadline.
Under a ceasefire deal with Beirut, Israel was supposed to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply.
An Israeli military statement said army forces will remain in five strategic posts, without specifying for how long its troops will stay there.
The army said the five positions include a hill near Labouneh, the Jabal Blat peak, a hill across from Avivim and Malkia; a hill across from Margaliot; and a hill across from Metula.
The army said the posts will be manned by Israeli troops, while troops will be withdrawn from all other Lebanese towns and villages.
Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio said that the military has deployed the five posts where the forces will remain in southern Lebanon in the near future.
It quoted the army saying that t is preparing for a long-term stay until Hezbollah withdraws north of the Litani River.
The report claimed that maintaining a presence at these sites aims to provide “preemptive and frontline defense for the towns of the Galilee.”
In parallel to these positions within Lebanese territory, the Israeli army is also constructing military sites within Israeli territory opposite each settlement. The army indicated that its troop presence along the Lebanon border will be approximately three times larger than prior to the conflict.
The Israeli army also announced that, as part of the withdrawal agreement, Lebanese citizens will be allowed to return to villages they left in recent months, including Kfarkela, Odaisseh, Houla, and Maiss el-Jabal, it reported.
Last week, Lebanese officials rejected an Israeli demand to remain in five locations in southern Lebanon beyond the withdrawal deadline.
On Sunday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that Israel must fully withdraw from Lebanon by Feb. 18.
"Today, we are facing the Feb. 18 deadline, and the occupation army must fully withdraw from southern Lebanon. It should have no positions or presence whatsoever," Qassem said.
A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Lebanon since Nov. 27, ending months of mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah that escalated into a full-scale conflict last September.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has committed nearly 1,000 violations, killing and injuring dozens in Lebanon, including women and children.