Washington announces partial Israeli withdrawal ; Israel denies it

Published on: June 25, 2026

Author: Ghina Kamleh

In Brief

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, with the move intended as a pilot model to expand across the south and Lebanese Armed Forces expected to deploy in parallel. Israeli officials and Lebanese security sources rejected the claim, saying they had no indication of any withdrawal or redeployment, while the State Department gave no clarification on the location or scope. The conflicting accounts came as Washington negotiations entered their final phase on ending hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and establishing a border security framework. U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa said the talks had improved and that a “Declaration of Intent” is expected at the end of the round, outlining initial pilot zones for phased transfers to the Lebanese Army. Separately, the Israeli military said an IDF soldier was killed in the occupied eastern sector of the border area, bringing total losses in southern Lebanon to 37 soldiers and one defense contractor.

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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.

In Brief

Full Article

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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