An Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon on Monday killed the head of Hamas’ military operations in the country, Israel’s army said.
The strike came as an Israeli official said that Israeli forces will remain in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon near the border after Tuesday’s deadline for their full withdrawal. The pullout is supposed to take place under the ceasefire agreement in November that ended the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s government has opposed any further delay in the Israeli withdrawal.
The Israeli military said the drone strike killed Mohammad Shaheen, the head of Hamas’ operations department in Lebanon. The army accused Shaheen of “recently planning terror attacks, directed and funded by Iran, from Lebanese territory against the citizens of the state of Israel.”
Hamas confirmed Shaheen’s death but described him as a military commander.
Here’s the latest:
Israel still committed to withdrawal from Lebanon, military says
JERUSALEM — An Israeli military spokesman says the five locations where Israeli troops will remain in southern Lebanon provide vantage points or are located across from communities in northern Israel.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said the “temporary measure” was approved by a U.S.-led body monitoring the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israel is committed to carrying out the withdrawal in “the right way, in a gradual way, and in a way that the security of our civilians is kept,” he told reporters.
Under the agreement, Israeli forces are to withdraw from a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, which would then be patrolled by the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers. The ceasefire has held since it took effect in late November, even as Israel and Lebanon have accused each other of violating it.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told reporters Monday that the ceasefire agreement “must be respected,” saying “the Israeli enemy cannot be trusted.”
He said Lebanese officials “are working diplomatically to achieve the complete Israeli withdrawal, and I will not accept that a single Israeli remains on Lebanese territory.”
Israeli forces will remain in 5 locations in Lebanon after Tuesday’s deadline to withdraw
JERUSALEM — An Israeli official says forces will remain in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon near the border after Tuesday’s deadline for their full withdrawal.
The official spoke Monday on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Lebanon’s government has opposed any further delay in the Israeli pullout under the ceasefire agreement that ended fighting with the Hezbollah militant group.
