Washington announces partial Israeli withdrawal ; Israel denies it
Ghina Kamleh
1- A U.S. announcement of an Israeli “goodwill withdrawal” from parts of southern Lebanon triggered immediate denials from Israel and Lebanese security sources.
2- Both sides said no troop pullback had been detected, raising uncertainty over the actual status of the border zone.
3- Despite the dispute, Washington talks are expected to conclude with a draft declaration outlining pilot zones and a potential framework for de-escalation.
Details
A senior U.S. State Department official said Israel had carried out a limited withdrawal from parts of its self-declared buffer zone in southern Lebanon as a confidence-building step.
The official said the move was intended as a pilot model to be expanded across the south, with the Lebanese Armed Forces expected to deploy in parallel to secure areas and remove remaining weapons infrastructure.
Israeli officials strongly rejected the claim, with military sources saying they were not aware of any withdrawal and confirming that no IDF positions had been vacated.
Lebanese security sources also said monitoring systems showed no indication of Israeli redeployment or pullback from occupied areas.
The U.S. State Department did not provide clarification on the exact location or scope of the alleged withdrawal, deepening confusion over the announcement.
The contradictory statements came as negotiations in Washington entered their final phase, focused on ending hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and establishing a border security framework.
U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa said the talks had improved after early deadlock, describing the overall atmosphere as “good” ahead of a final agreement.
Issa said a “Declaration of Intent” is expected to be issued at the end of the current round, outlining initial pilot zones for phased transfers to the Lebanese Army.
The proposed framework is part of a broader U.S. plan to accelerate security arrangements in southern Lebanon through staged territorial handovers.
Separately, the Israeli military announced the death of an IDF soldier in the occupied eastern sector of the border area.
Israeli authorities said total losses since operations began in southern Lebanon have reached 37 soldiers and one defense contractor.
What to watch
The contradictory claims over an Israeli withdrawal underscore deep uncertainty on the ground, even as Washington pushes toward a formal political framework that could define the next phase of security arrangements in southern Lebanon.
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