By Guy Birchall
Contributing Writer
Israel will continue its operations on the ground in southern Lebanon despite agreeing to a ceasefire, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday.
Israel and Lebanon announced on Wednesday that they had agreed to implement a ceasefire.
Katz said that Lebanese residents who had been forced to leave their homes in the area by the Israel Defense Forces’ ongoing mission would not be allowed to return.
His comments came a day after Lebanon and Israel agreed to implement a ceasefire during talks in Washington, with the deal contingent on a cessation of fire from the Hezbollah terrorist group.
“The declaration of principles between Israel and the Lebanese government in Washington includes a declaration on the goal of disarming Hezbollah throughout Lebanon and condemning Iran’s involvement in Lebanon and the region,” Katz said, according to Israeli outlet Ynet.
“The ceasefire is conditional on the early removal of Hezbollah terrorists from the entire area south of the Litani (river) and the creation of a demilitarized zone, with the IDF continuing its fire and activity in the area at this stage; the IDF remaining in the security zone in Lebanon up to the yellow line, including in the Beaufort area and without the return of the population.”
Katz added that the “continued thwarting of terrorist infrastructure on the ground” and “freedom of action for Israel, with American backing, to strike in Beirut in response to fire at Israeli communities and territory,” were also conditions of the agreement.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Lebanese Civil Defense Authorities had urged displaced persons to postpone their return until official statements are issued regarding their return to the southern villages, on Thursday.
They also warned against approaching areas affected by airstrikes due to unexploded ordnance.
IDF Issues Warning to Residents
The IDF also issued a warning to the residents of southern Lebanon, saying that it continues to target Hezbollah facilities and infrastructure located in and near villages in the region.
The IDF’s Arabic language spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee, said in a Thursday post on X that “fighting in southern Lebanon is ongoing” and that the IDF does “not intend to harm” those living in the area.
“For your safety, refrain from traveling south of the Zahrani River until further notice! Anyone who travels south puts their life at risk,” he said.
UNIFIL Says 1 Peacekeeper Killed, 2 Wounded in Shelling
A U.N. peacekeeper in Lebanon died on Thursday from injuries sustained when mortar shells hit his position near Marjayoun in southeastern Lebanon late the previous night, the U.N. peacekeeping mission UNIFIL said in a Thursday statement.
UNIFIL, which did not say where the shells originated, said two other peacekeepers were wounded and that it had opened an investigation into the incident.
Serbian authorities confirmed that the peacekeeper was a Serbian national, the U.N. said in an update.
“Soon after the incident that happened late last night, the critically injured peacekeeper was flown to a hospital in Beirut where he succumbed to his wounds,” UNIFIL said.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the peacekeeper who lost his life in the service of peace. … We also call on relevant national authorities to investigate the incident, bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure criminal accountability.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Thursday that the ceasefire agreed the previous evening could come into force within 24 hours of all concerned parties approving it, according to Sawti Beirut International.
He did not specify which parties he was referring to, but Hezbollah is the target of Israel’s strikes.
The terrorist group’s leader, Naim Kassem, later said that Hezbollah would not abide by the ceasefire, calling it “fictitious” and saying that if his fighters were to abandon the southern front, it would amount to “surrender, defeat and the fulfillment of the enemy’s objectives,” according to comments carried by Hezbollah-owned outlet Al Manar.
“It is like Satan’s dream of entering Paradise,” he added.
“We have not given anyone a commitment not to resist aggression and respond to it,” Kassem said, adding that “as long as the aggression continues,” Hezbollah will “confront it with all the strength we possess, and we will strike wherever we decide and are able.”
Hezbollah is opposed to the direct talks and has continued firing at Israeli troops in Lebanon.
The ceasefire deal, reached after negotiations in Washington on Wednesday, depends on a full stop to attacks by Hezbollah and the withdrawal of all its fighters from the area south of the Litani River.
“The two sides agreed with the guidance of the United States to swiftly advance the creation of pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors,” the joint statement by the United States, Lebanon and Israel said.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to hold further talks the week of June 22 on political and security issues to reach a lasting deal.
The two countries reached an earlier ceasefire in April. That truce was extended in May, but fighting continued.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had spoken with Hezbollah representatives, who told him they “agreed that all shooting will stop” and that “Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel.” Iran, however, viewed continued Israeli operations in Lebanon as a ceasefire violation on all fronts and briefly halted related talks with the United States.
The current round of fighting began on March 2, when Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets across the border into northern Israel two days after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Israel responded with airstrikes across Lebanon and began ground operations in the south on March 16.
Iran has insisted that any final deal with the United States and Israel must also include Lebanon.
Kimberly Hayek and Reuters contributed to this report.
