Beirut, Feb 17: Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that Israel must fully withdraw from Lebanon by February 18 (Tuesday). “Today, we are facing the February 18 deadline, and the occupation army must fully withdraw from southern Lebanon. It should have no positions or presence whatsoever,” Qassem said in a televised speech.
He added that it is the responsibility of the Lebanese state to “exert every effort” to ensure that Israel withdraws on time as agreed, Xinhua news agency reported. Israel had previously postponed its full withdrawal from Lebanon to February 18 after missing the initial deadline.
The Israeli military also intended to retain control over five strategic positions in southern Lebanon beyond the deadline, a move also rejected by Hezbollah. There are “no five points and no other details … this is the agreement,” Qassem said in the speech. Meanwhile, the Israeli forces carried out on Sunday night airstrikes on areas in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa region.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), warplanes carried out two airstrikes on the outskirts of the town of Harbata and a third airstrike on the town of Halbata, both located in the northern Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon.
Israeli warplanes also launched an airstrike on the Wadi al-Zayni, a town north of Sidon in southern Lebanon, said the NNA. A ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and the Israeli military has been in effect since November 27, 2024, halting over a year of clashes triggered by the Gaza war.
The agreement requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days while the Lebanese army assumes control along the border and in the south, ensuring no presence of weapons or armed groups south of the Litani River.
On January 27, Lebanon’s caretaker government announced an extension of the ceasefire agreement until February 18, following the expiration of the initial 60-day period without a complete Israeli withdrawal. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued to conduct strikes in Lebanon, citing security threats.
IANS