Lebanon's political leadership remains steadfast in their viewpoint that Israel has to fulfil all parts of the latest ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deal, which ended in late January, stipulates among other aspects that the Lebanese army will control southern Lebanon with at least 5,000 soldiers in place of Israeli troops, which would have to withdraw.

Israel, however, said this week that it would keep its troops in five locations near the border, after having accused the Lebanese army of not deploying the required troops quickly enough.

Israel sees Lebanon unable to guarantee security in the border region where it fears that the Lebanese Hezbollah militia could resume its attacks on Israeli residents.

"The Lebanese army is ready to fulfil all its duties along the border," Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stated earlier this week.

In turn, they called the ongoing Israeli presence an "occupation of Lebanon" and said that they would turn to the UN Security Council to "address the Israeli violations and force Israel to withdraw."

Meanwhile, the United Nations has called on both sides to comply with UN Resolution 1701.

"Today marks the end of the period set for the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces south of the Blue Line and the parallel Lebanese Armed Forces deployment to positions in southern Lebanon, as envisaged by the Cessation of Hostilities Understanding of 26 November 2024," the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert,........

© Deutsche Welle