The Israeli government is seeking to extend its military presence in southern Lebanon past a Sunday deadline set in a November ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, according to Israel’s ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog.
The Israeli military invaded southern Lebanon in October 2024, following a year-long low-level war with Hezbollah, which attacked Israeli-held territory in solidarity with Hamas. The agreement requires Israeli forces to withdraw from the area by January 26, but Israel has asked the US to agree to a 30-day extension.
Israeli officials suggest that the timeline may not be rigid and that negotiations are underway with the US to prolong the duration of the ceasefire. The US Department of Defense has also hinted that the timeline may be flexible, stating that the ceasefire agreements aim to generate speed and progress.
Hezbollah has threatened to view an extension of the Israeli military presence as a “brazen breach” of the agreement, which would require the Lebanese state to take action to retrieve the land and prevent occupation.
The situation in southern Lebanon remains opaque, with the Israeli military having destroyed Hezbollah weapons and infrastructure, and Hezbollah’s military posture unclear. The US, along with the French government and the United Nations, is monitoring the ceasefire, with a US military official reporting that the Lebanese military is operating effectively throughout the region.
The Israeli government’s request comes amid concerns from civilians in northern Israel, who are slow to return to communities emptied by war. They fear that the withdrawal of Israeli forces will give Hezbollah a free hand to deploy closer to the border, under the watch of the Lebanese military.