Lebanese Army Accuses Israel of Violating US-Backed Withdrawal Pact in South
As displaced residents return to rubble, the Lebanese armed forces allege that Israeli clearance operations in Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Froun, and Srifa are obstructing the phased transfer of security responsibilities outlined in the recent agreement.
The Lebanese army has formally accused Israel of violating a United States-backed agreement by continuing shelling and conducting clearance operations in three designated “pilot zone” villages in southern Lebanon. According to a military statement released on Sunday, these actions are preventing Lebanese troops from fully assuming security responsibilities in Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Froun, and Srifa, which were selected for the initial phase of the Israeli withdrawal.
Despite the deployment of Lebanese forces to the area, the military reported persistent Israeli gunfire in parts of western Zawtar, Tibnit, and Nabatieh al-Fawqa. The army stated that the continuation of these assaults hinders the completion of its deployment and prevents displaced residents from returning to their homes. Al Jazeera reporter Zeina Khodr, reporting from Zawtar al-Gharbiya, noted that displaced residents had returned to homes reduced to rubble, while the Israeli army had withdrawn to the village edge, conditioning further movement on the dismantling of Hezbollah.
The Lebanese military detailed further infractions across the region, citing bulldozing, shelling, and combing operations with machine guns in Nabatieh, Hdda, Kunin, Bint Jbeil, Nabi Ibel al-Saqi, Khiam, al-Mansouri, Bayt al-Siyad, and Majdal Zoun in Tyre. Specific infrastructure damage was reported in Markaba, where a water project was destroyed, and on the outskirts of Aitaroun, where olive trees and farmland were razed.
Diplomatic efforts to enforce the deal have intensified, with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun recently visiting US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC. Aoun sought to persuade the US president to pressure Israel into complying with the phased withdrawal agreement. The current conflict, which resumed in March following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and subsequent Hezbollah rocket fire, has resulted in at least 4,330 deaths in Lebanon, alongside 37 Israeli soldiers and four Israeli civilians.
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group, has rejected the US-brokered deal, demanding Israel’s unconditional exit from Lebanon. Israel has maintained its presence across southern Lebanon for months, insisting its operations are necessary to combat the group. The US-backed agreement signed last month outlines a phased withdrawal, but concerns regarding the lack of a clear exit schedule from Israel have persisted among local authorities.
