What’s happened: Eight months into the ceasefire with Lebanon, Israel launched a “focused” ground operation against a Hezbollah positions close to the border. 

• Based on intelligence, the IDF identified several areas of southern Lebanon where Hezbollah had re-established its military posts and launched special, targeted operations to dismantle them.
• According to the IDF, in one of the operations in the Jabal Blat ridge, which looks into the Israeli border community of Zarit, troops “located a compound containing weapons depots and firing positions belonging to Hezbollah” adding that reservist soldiers dismantled the terrorist infrastructure.
• In another operation, “reservist soldiers located weapons hidden in thicketed terrain in the Labbouneh area, including a multi-barrel launcher, a heavy machine gun, and dozens of explosive devices.” Labbouneh is less than 3km away from the Israeli town of Shlomi.     
• Troops also found an underground weapons storage facility which was also dismantled.
• The operation was deemed a necessary component in order to enforce the ceasefire. According to the ceasefire agreement, Israel can act to prevent Hezbollah re-entrenchment along the border. 

What’s happened: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck a Hezbollah storage facility containing precision guided missiles on Sunday.

• The warehouse was in the Dahiya neighbourhood, the key Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut.
• Prior to the strike, evacuation warnings were sent to the surrounding area, and the IDF also first dropped light munitions on the targeted building, the ‘knocks on the roof” signifying its imminent destruction. 
• The IDF stated that according to the provisions of the November 2024 ceasefire, the storage of missiles at the site “constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, and poses a threat to the State of Israel and its civilians.”
• Following the strike a large fire broke out, caused by secondary explosions, demonstrating the building held highly explosive material.
• Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Katz issued a joint statement noting, “Israel will not allow Hezbollah to strengthen and create any threat to it – anywhere in Lebanon. The Dahiya quarter in Beirut will not serve as a sanctuary for the Hezbollah terrorist organisation. The Government of Lebanon bears direct responsibility for preventing such threats. Israel will insist on its war objective of returning the residents of the north safely to their homes.”
• In response to the strike Lebanese President Aoun condemned the Israeli attack, “The US and France, as guarantors of the cessation of hostilities, must take their responsibility and oblige Israel to immediately cease its attacks. Israel’s continued destabilisation will exacerbate tensions and expose the region to real threats to its security and stability.”

Context: Israel continues to insist on freedom to act against perceived threats by Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

• According to analysis by the Alma research centre, in the six months since the ceasefire in the north, the IAF have carried out over 300 airstrikes.
  • 46 per cent occurred in the area south of the Litani River, where “Hezbollah continues to engage in significant activity, including reconstruction efforts, reorganisation, strengthening its capabilities, and renewing operation readiness against Israel” and where according to the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah is not supposed to be present.
  • Approximately 53 per cent of the strikes were both north of Litani and in the Beqaa Valley area, to prevent weapons smuggling from Syria. 
  • Fewer than 1 per cent have targeted Beirut, making yesterday’s strike rare. 
• It is understood that prior to the Beirut strike Israel updated the US on its intentions.  

What’s happening: The IDF is due to complete its withdrawal from villages in southern Lebanon today.    

• However, the IDF is committed to remaining in five strategic locations:
  • Hasullam mountain range – overlooking Shlomi.
  • ⁠Jabal Blat – overlooking Zarit, Nurit and Shtula.
  • Hashaked mountain range – overlooking Avivim and Mallaqi’a.
  • ⁠Hatzivoni mountain range – overlooking Saluq, Margaliot and Manara.
  • Tel ⁠Hamamis – overlooking Har-Dov, Metula. ·  
• The IDF believes these areas are vital due to their topography. An IDF presence will ensure Hezbollah cannot approach the border area.  
• Following the withdrawal, the IDF will deploy a large number of troops along the ‘Blue Line’ border area. There will be around triple the amount of troops that there were prior to October 7^th. 
• The IDF is also in the process of establishing new positions protecting every Israeli community close to the border and is investing in advanced camera systems and sensors all along the fence.
• Up until this past weekend the IDF continued to expose and destroy Hezbollah military infrastructure, including tunnels, weapons caches, and rocket launchers.
• According to the IDF, on Sunday the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted “precision, intelligence-based strikes on a number of military sites in Lebanese territory containing rocket launchers and weapons, where Hezbollah activity had been identified.”
• On Saturday it struck a “central terrorist in Hezbollah’s aerial unit in the area of southern Lebanon. The terrorist was targeted after repeatedly violating the understandings between Israel and Lebanon over the past few weeks, including his role in leading the launch of UAVs toward Israeli territory.”
• Yesterday, IAF jets killed Muhammad Shaheen in the area of Sidon. Shaheen served as the head of Hamas’ Operations Department in Lebanon.

Context: Israel reached an understanding with the US to remain in those five outposts, despite the original ceasefire agreement calling for a complete withdrawal.

• Israel’s redeployment means the IDF has now left all Lebanese villages. The outposts lie outside populated areas, so there is little expectation of engagement or interaction with the local population.     
• Although the Lebanese government is yet to formally comment on the Israeli deployment, President Aoun has been quoted in Lebanese media saying, “the option of war is not helpful and we will act using diplomatic means.”
• Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement Israel can and will continue to monitor Hezbollah activity and maintain freedom to act if the threat is considered imminent.
• In other circumstances they will register any violations with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the US led monitoring mechanism.
• Israeli military officials were hoping the LAF would have deployed faster, but are relatively satisfied with their performance so far. The LAF has successfully deployed in the south as well as along the Syria-Lebanon border.
• Prior to the withdrawal IDF troops scoured nearly every house in Lebanon within a strip of land 5-8 km from the Israeli border.  
• One key test will now be the return of Hezbollah operatives to the villages in the south along with the civilian population. Israeli intelligence is expected to monitor the situation closely to ensure no efforts are made to rebuild their military infrastructure.
• Israel is aware of continued efforts by Iran to support Hezbollah.  Last week Israel warned the control room at Beirut airport not to let an Iranian commercial airliner land as intelligence had identified it as transporting funds destined for Hezbollah.  
• The strike in Sidon that targeted Muhammad Shaheen is the latest example of Hamas – Hezbollah – Iranian cooperation inside Lebanon. He was targeted based on intelligence that he was planning terror attacks, directed and funded by Iran.  He had previously been involved in firing rockets into Israel.
• Shaheen was also considered a close ally of former Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri, (who was killed in January 2024) and part of the network directing terror attacks in the West Bank.

Hostage negotiations: Reported progress has been made in talks with Hamas to release the remaining six living hostages and eight bodies according to the terms of the first stage of the deal.

• In return, Israel is prepared to release all of the Palestinian prisoners slated for release in the first stage of the deal. Israel will also allow mobile homes, tents and bulldozers to be delivered into the Gaza Strip, that are currently waiting on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing.
• Four of the dead hostages could be released on Thursday.
• The handover of bodies will take a different format:
  • Mediators will be given the names of the four dead hostages on Thursday morning.
  • The Military Chaplain’s Office officials will receive the bodies, and will bring them to the National Centre for Forensic Medicine for identification.
  • Only once they have been positively identified will Israeli authorities inform the families and then the public.  
• The security cabinet met last night to formulate its position over the second stage of the ceasefire agreement.
• The two sides have contradictory demands. Hamas is expecting a declaration that the war is over and a full IDF withdrawal.
• Israel demands:
• The release of all hostages alive and dead.
• The demilitarisation of Gaza, with Hamas giving up its weapons.
• The exile of Hamas’ leadership.
• With all this extremely unlikely, it remains unclear where this will take us.
• Instead of a phase two, there could be efforts to extend the first stage, with Israel releasing more prisoners in return for remaining hostages.  
• Meanwhile, President Trump’s envoy Witkoff repeated yesterday that not a single hostage would be left behind in Gaza, adding that President Trump would make sure that all of the hostages would be freed.

 Looking ahead: From tomorrow, residents of the southern Lebanese villages close to the border with Israel are expected to return to their homes.

• The IDF is to remain vigilant and prevent anyone from approaching the proximity of the border area.
• Evacuated Israeli residents of the north are expected to return home from March 2^nd.  
• The IDF is expected to remain in those five outposts until it is reassured that the LAF has complete control and that the area is clear of Hezbollah

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, posted on X (formerly Twitter) today saying: “I congratulate Lebanon upon the election of a new President, following a lengthy political crisis. I hope that this choice will contribute towards stability, a better future for Lebanon and its people and to good neighborly relations.”

What’s happened: In accordance with the ceasefire agreement of 27th November, the IDF has withdrawn its forces from an area in south western Lebanon, around the town of Naqoura, which is close to the Israeli border.

• Following the IDF withdrawal, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed to the town and its surroundings, in coordination with UNIFIL.
• According to the LAF, “The deployment occurred simultaneously with the Israeli enemy’s withdrawal from the town.”
• The LAF says they will begin working to remove any unexploded ordinances left from battles between the IDF and Hezbollah.
• In parallel, US Envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut yesterday to meet Lebanese officials and attend a meeting of the international monitoring committee overseeing Lebanon’s cease-fire.
• The US Envoy met with the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.
• Following the meeting with Speaker Berri, Hochstein said, the “IDF has begun withdrawing from Naqoura in southern Lebanon, and will withdraw from all Lebanese territory. Implementing the agreement in southern Lebanon is not easy, but we are committed to supporting the Lebanese Army.”
• Hochstein also met with Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, alongside the head of the ceasefire monitoring committee, US General Jasper Jeffers.
• Their discussion focused on the mechanism for implementing the ceasefire agreement. Hochstein said that Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon would continue until the IDF is completely out of the country.

Context: The IDF’s redeployment is part of the ceasefire agreement signed at the end of November.

• This is considered the most significant withdrawal by the IDF since the start of the ceasefire agreement.
• This is partly due to the topography of the landscape, as Naqoura is located on a mountain ridge just above the Israeli coastal communities of Rosh Hanikra and Kibbutz Rosh Hanikra.
• Naqoura also has symbolic significance as the headquarters of UNIFIL is based there.      
• Just last week the IDF exposed extensive military infrastructure that Hezbollah had embedded inside Naqoura. An IDF commander was quoted in the Israeli media saying, “When we scoured the village, we found unbelievable quantities of arms. There were warehouses, lookout points and military equipment in virtually every home.”
• The IDF withdrawal marked the third area that Israeli troops have withdrawn from since the ceasefire came into effect.
• Since the ceasefire began, as part of its operations to dismantle Hezbollah, Israel has continued to launch daily airstrikes, carry out detonations and bulldozing operations on buildings across southern Lebanon, and advance into areas it did not reach during the fighting. Israel is carrying out these manoeuvres as part of their understanding reached with the US that allows the IDF to continue to remove Hezbollah’s military infrastructure from southern Lebanon.      
• With just three weeks remaining until the January 26^th deadline for it to have fully withdrawn from the country, the IDF is still holding positions in about 60 areas of Lebanon,.
• While it says it is in line with and enforcing the agreement, Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have accused Israel of ongoing violations of the deal.

• The mechanism in place for monitoring the ceasefire agreement is led by US Army General Jasper Jeffers. He is supposed to receive reports from Israel regarding Hezbollah’s violations and pass them onto the LAF to handle. Israel has been dissatisfied with the slow pace of LAF’s responsiveness.
• So far Israel has presented dozens of violations:
  • Most significantly, there are still areas that Hezbollah has not withdrawn from as promised.
  • The LAF has not deployed on the ground on the scale stipulated by the agreement.
  • Hezbollah has been relocating weapons from the south to areas north of the Litani River and has continued to rebuild and regroup.
• Earlier this week defence minister Katz said, “Israel wants to implement the agreement in Lebanon and will continue to enforce it fully and uncompromisingly to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes. But the first condition for agreement’s existence is a complete withdrawal by the Hezbollah terrorist organisation to beyond the Litani, the complete disarming and the removal of terrorist infrastructure in the sector by the Lebanese Armed Forces—and this has not yet happened. If this condition is not met, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be obliged to act forcefully to ensure the safe return of northern residents to their homes. We won’t allow the emergence of a new threat to the northern communities and to the citizens of the State of Israel.”

Looking ahead: The original 60 day period for redeployment is due to end on January 26^th but Israel is exploring the possibility of extending this period, possibly by an additional 30 days. This will allow the IDF to continue clearing the area and give more time for the LAF to adequately redeploy to the area.           

• Whilst Israel is concerned over the response by the Biden administration, President-elect Trump is expected to be more flexible on the timetable of Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon.
• Defence Minister Katz has instructed the IDF to prepare offensive operational plans if the ceasefire collapses at the end of the first phase.  It is understood that the plans are in place and the IDF has prepared a bank of targets.
• There remains concern that when Israel does withdraw, Hezbollah will once again move back south.   
• The Israeli government has set March 1st as a target date for the displaced residents of the north to return home