Israel says its troops will stay in southern Lebanon, directly contradicting U.S.-Iran agreement
by Vaughn Cockayne · The Washington TimesIsraeli troops will continue to occupy large swaths of territory in southern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces announced Thursday, drawing a rebuke from Tehran and complicating the upcoming negotiations between Iran and the U.S.
The Israeli military released a map of the “security zone” it created in southern Lebanon and said its forces will stay there to deter further attacks on Israelis. The zone stretches from Israel’s northern border about 6 miles into Lebanese territory.
“IDF soldiers are stationed in the designated area of operation in southern Lebanon and will continue to remove threats and strengthen the defense of Israel’s northern residents,” the IDF wrote in a statement.
Israeli forces have occupied southern Lebanon for weeks, routinely issuing evacuation orders to civilians in towns and villages before destroying buildings the IDF says could have been used by Hezbollah.
Israel’s strikes on Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon have decreased since the announcement of the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran. But fighting has not stopped completely, and Israeli officials have made it clear that their war with Hezbollah is not over.
Israeli drone strikes killed at least two people in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Tebnit, according to the state-affiliated National News Agency.
Nearly 4,000 people have been killed since Israel began its war on Hezbollah in early March, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, and more than a million have been displaced.
Today’s statement from the IDF, and others like it from Israeli officials, could create problems for U.S. and Iranian diplomats ahead of the planned 60-day negotiating period outlined in the preliminary agreement.
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The text of the agreement indicates that a cessation of hostilities will occur on all fronts of the war, including in Lebanon.
Esmail Baghaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, on Thursday said Israel’s continued occupation of southern Lebanon would constitute an “annulment” of the deal with the U.S.
He implied that no in-depth discussions with Washington would take place until all terms of the agreement were implemented.
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Vaughn Cockayne
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