IDF Warns Southern Lebanon Residents as Hezbollah Violates Ceasefire, Vows Strong Response

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an evacuation warning on Wednesday afternoon to residents near the village of Al-Mansouri in southern Lebanon, accusing Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire. IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Ella Vaya, speaking in Arabic, stated that the violation forces Israel to act strongly against Hezbollah. Residents were urged to immediately leave their homes and move at least one kilometer north for their safety. The IDF emphasized that anyone near Hezbollah operatives, infrastructure, or weapons endangers their lives.

Meanwhile, talks between Israel and Lebanon resumed in Rome on the same day. Senior officials in Beirut told the international Beirut Voice newspaper that the main remaining concern is Hezbollah potentially causing problems, though this is currently deemed unlikely due to Israeli strikes that have weakened the group’s capabilities. The discussions are set to cover stabilizing the ceasefire, the situation on the ground, and the demolition of homes and towns by Israel. Lebanon plans to demand a halt to Israeli operations and initiate preparations for additional pilot zones, including their locations and start dates.

Sources noted that expanding pilot zones is also a U.S. and Israeli demand following the success of the initial trial. Lebanon aims to extend these zones to include all occupied territories, possibly covering two or three cities per pilot area. Positive sentiments are expected due to favorable results and local satisfaction with the measures taken. Although ending occupation of entire districts remains difficult, the focus will be on clusters of villages or cities, supported by American guarantees and unlimited U.S. backing for this solution.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. announced the start of a pilot for IDF withdrawal from three southern Lebanese villages: Farran, Sarifa, and Zotar al-Arabiya. The framework agreement signed on June 26 includes deploying the Lebanese army in the south, disarming Hezbollah, and gradual IDF withdrawal from occupied areas. Lebanese security sources warned that President Aoun agreed to demands they cannot meet, risking civil war with Hezbollah.

A day after the pilot announcement, a Lebanese security official confirmed the Lebanese army began entering areas vacated by the IDF. Later, the Lebanese army accused the IDF of firing near one of its units in Nabatiyeh within the pilot zone. The IDF responded that a warning shot was fired at a force entering an area outside the agreed pilot zone, violating the arrangements.