South Lebanon Fighters Left in the Dark as Ceasefire Talks Shift

Iran is insisting that the ceasefire agreement signed with the United States also covers Lebanon, but on the ground in southern Lebanon, Israeli forces say nothing has changed. Despite the diplomatic language, commanders and fighters report confusion and uncertainty because no new orders have been issued at the front.

IDF troops operating inside the so-called “yellow line” in Lebanese territory are continuing normal combat activity. They are still destroying terror infrastructure, and their standing rules remain unchanged: if they encounter militants, they are ordered to fire to kill. The disconnect between public statements and the lack of updated instructions is fueling doubts among the troops about what will happen to their battlefield gains.

One fighter said, “We have not lowered our alert level. We are still acting as if the threat is at our doorstep, בדיוק as before. We are skeptical and waiting to see what happens.” Another expressed concern about the value of the long operation, saying, “Everything we have slogged through here for two months, and the guys before us, we did work there.” The article says the fighters are questioning the future of what they achieved.

The diplomatic track is also murky. US President Donald Trump said he hoped the situation in Lebanon could be resolved because it is “something that never ends,” and added that Hezbollah must be addressed. Two senior US officials said an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon is not a condition of the agreement, and that Israel retains the full right to self-defense and to respond if Hezbollah attacks. They also said the memorandum of understanding will be published openly and transparently, without side deals. But a Hezbollah official told Reuters that Iran delayed signing until Friday to watch whether Israel complies with the ceasefire, and said the group’s position depends entirely on Israeli adherence to its commitments.