Senior security source denies Reuters report of Israeli withdrawal in southern Lebanon

Reuters reported on Saturday, citing a senior U.S. State Department official, that Israel had withdrawn from part of the buffer zone in the security area in southern Lebanon. A senior security source in Israel rejected that account, saying the IDF had not withdrawn from any position in the Israeli security zone in Lebanon. He added that the IDF had not received any instructions on the matter from the political echelon.

The Qatari television channel Al Araby also quoted a Lebanese army source as saying, “The IDF has not withdrawn from any point from the areas it occupied in southern Lebanon.” Lebanese army sources separately denied the report to local media as well, saying the IDF was still present in all of those areas.

Meanwhile, a source involved in the talks at the Pentagon said on Wednesday evening that negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are progressing in a positive atmosphere. “The sides do not agree on everything, but they are discussing pilot areas and sectors in southern Lebanon,” the source told Kan News. He added that the timing of the pilot and the areas from which the IDF is expected to withdraw have not yet been finalized.