Lebanon engages US, France to ensure Israeli troop withdrawal by February 18

Lebanon is holding intensive talks with the US and France to secure Israel’s withdrawal from its southern border by February 18, as per a ceasefire deal, President Joseph Aoun said.

"We are facing difficulties regarding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory within the agreed timeframe [by February 18] and are working with influential mediators – the US and France – to find an appropriate solution," Aoun said, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

On February 11, during a meeting of the ceasefire monitoring committee at the UN peacekeeping headquarters in Ras al-Naqoura, Israeli representatives announced plans to delay the pullout from southern Lebanon. Instead, they signalled an intention to maintain control over strategically important areas, including the Jabal Blat hills, Labouneh, al-Azziya, al-Oweida, and al-Hamamis.

The following day, the Lebanese president’s office dismissed reports circulating on social media that suggested Beirut had agreed to extend the bilateral agreement with Israel beyond February 18, insisting no such extension had been negotiated.

The ceasefire agreement, brokered by Washington and Paris on November 27, 2024, mandated the deployment of the Lebanese army along the southern border, with the support of UN peacekeepers, while Hezbollah fighters were to be repositioned north of the Litani River. 

In return, Israel committed to withdrawing its forces from southern Lebanon within 60 days. However, on January 27, the White House announced that Israel had been granted an extension until February 18 to complete the pullout.

With Israel now indicating a possible delay beyond that deadline, diplomatic efforts are intensifying to prevent further instability along the border.

By Aghakazim Guliyev