Newsletters
Even as U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire Thursday, a senior Israeli official made clear that Israeli forces would not be pulling back from positions they currently hold in southern Lebanon, drawing a sharp line against Hezbollah's stated demands.
The official, speaking to i24 News diplomatic correspondent, said Israeli troops would remain in what the official described as "the expanded security zone," and that coordination with Washington would continue to allow Israel to act against any threat, including what the official termed an "emerging" one.
The statement pointedly rejected two core Hezbollah positions: a return of Israeli forces to the internationally recognized border, and a so-called "quiet for quiet" arrangement, under which both sides would simply halt fire without any change to the underlying military posture. "Despite Hezbollah's demands, there is no withdrawal to the border and no 'quiet for quiet,'" i24 correspondent said.
The formulation signals that Israel intends to maintain the expanded foothold it established during its ground operations in southern Lebanon, preserving what it regards as freedom of action against threats even as diplomatic talks proceed. The reference to "emerging threats" suggests Israel is reserving the right to conduct preemptive strikes, not merely respond to active fire.
A similar arrangement existed under the Nov. 2024 ceasefire brokered by the Biden administration, in which Washington provided Israel a side-letter acknowledging its right to act in response to threats from Lebanese territory in accordance with international law. The Trump administration appears to have preserved, and potentially reinforced, that framework.
Hezbollah, already significantly weakened by the 2024 conflict and the subsequent resumption of fighting in 2026, has insisted that any ceasefire must include a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the dismantling of Israeli positions in the south. Thursday's statement from the Israeli official suggests those demands have not been met.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
