Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday (Jan 24) said that Israel will not complete its full withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday, which marks the 60-day deadline set under the ceasefire deal in November. 

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This comes after the Israeli security cabinet held a meeting last night and got an overview of the situation.

“The IDF’s withdrawal process is conditional on the Lebanese Army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani," Netanyahu office said in a statement. 

Originally, the 60-day deadline was set to get expired on January 26. 

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It added that since Lebanon has not yet fully enforced its obligations under the ceasefire, "the phased withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States.”

Netanyahu said that the terms of the deal were worded “with the understanding that the withdrawal process may continue beyond 60 days.”

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Earlier in the day, an unnamed senior Israeli official said that Israel is likely to keep troops stationed in parts of southern Lebanon beyond the given deadline. However, the security cabinet has yet to make a decision, Hebrew media outlet Ynet reported. 

As per the ceasefire's terms, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had to cede all positions in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese Armed Forces by January 26. 

Also read: ICJ judge Nawaf Salam appointed as Lebanon Prime Minister by President Joseph Aoun

However, Israel earlier asked for a 30-day extension, saying that the Lebanese army has deployed too slowly across the region, allowing Hezbollah time to regroup.

The Israeli official, before the cabinet meeting, said that the withdrawal would not be fully carried out by Sunday, adding that the IDF would instead keep its troops stationed in certain areas for some time. 

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The official further stressed that if it were to do so, it would be in coordination with US President Donald Trump's administration. 

This comes after Army Radio reported on Thursday that Trump was less inclined to grant a 30-day reprieve than was his predecessor Joe Biden and wants Israeli troops to withdraw completely by Sunday. 

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)