Israel’s Defense Minister Confirms Army’s Continued Presence in Buffer Zone

Thursday 27 February 2025 - 15:03

Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Katz, announced on Thursday that the Israeli army plans to remain in the buffer zone along the Lebanese border indefinitely. The area has been under a ceasefire since November 27, following two months of open warfare with Hezbollah. Katz emphasized that despite the challenges, Israel received approval from the United States to maintain its forces in the region, ensuring long-term security.

This decision goes against the initial plan for Israeli troops to withdraw from southern Lebanon by February 18, as agreed in the ceasefire deal at the end of November. The agreement had ended over a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant group backed by Iran.

On the specified date, Katz announced the continued Israeli presence at five strategic checkpoints in southern Lebanon, asserting that this was necessary to guarantee security for northern Israeli towns near the border. At that time, no specific timeline for the troop presence was given.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel was supposed to have completed its withdrawal by January 26, leaving only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers in the region. Hezbollah was expected to dismantle its infrastructure and retreat to the north of the Litani River, around 30 kilometers from the Israeli border. The deal was brokered by the United States and France, who are monitoring its implementation.

The Hezbollah group had opened a "support front" against Israel in the Gaza Strip conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, after an unprecedented attack on Israeli soil by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Israel responded by launching a series of massive airstrikes and ground operations against Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon. During this period, Israel inflicted significant losses on Hezbollah, including the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and several other senior officials.