MWE Correspondent
Israel has ruled out withdrawing its military forces from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah lays down its weapons, hardening its position despite renewed regional calls for de-escalation following the recent ceasefire involving Iran and the United States.
Government spokesperson David Mencer said Israeli troops would remain deployed in strategic areas of southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is fully disarmed, arguing that the group’s military capabilities continue to pose a direct threat to Israel’s national security.
“We will not withdraw while Hezbollah remains armed,” Mencer said, reaffirming Israel’s long-standing position that any lasting security arrangement must include the dismantling of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.
The statement came just hours after Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem declared that Israel had no choice but to withdraw from all Lebanese territory under its control, claiming that recent regional developments had weakened Israel’s strategic position.
The exchange highlights the deep divisions that continue to threaten stability along the Israel-Lebanon border, where cross-border hostilities over the past year have displaced thousands of civilians and heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.
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Israel maintains that its military presence in southern Lebanon is a defensive necessity designed to prevent attacks by Hezbollah, which it accuses of maintaining extensive missile stockpiles and armed positions near the border.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, insists that Israel’s continued military presence constitutes an occupation and argues that resistance remains legitimate until Israeli forces completely withdraw from Lebanese territory.
The opposing positions leave little room for an immediate breakthrough, despite international efforts to preserve the fragile ceasefire and prevent renewed fighting.
Diplomatic observers warn that unless both sides can find common ground on security arrangements and border issues, southern Lebanon is likely to remain one of the Middle East’s most volatile flashpoints.
As international mediators continue pushing for a durable political settlement, Israel’s latest position signals that any future withdrawal will remain closely tied to the unresolved question of Hezbollah’s military arsenal—a demand the Iran-backed movement has consistently rejected.
