IDF withdrawing from parts of southern Lebanon, says US State Department

Trump administration official says that the IDF has pulled back from some areas of southern Lebanon.

By World Israel News Staff

A US State Department official said Thursday that Israel had withdrawn from part of the security zone it has held in southern Lebanon since the war with Hezbollah, but Israeli and Lebanese officials denied that any such pullback had taken place.

The claim came as Israeli and Lebanese representatives held US-mediated talks in Washington over a possible phased transfer of some territory in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The discussions are part of a broader American effort to stabilize the border, reduce Hezbollah’s freedom of operation and create conditions for displaced civilians on both sides to return home.

“Israel has already taken a concrete step by pulling back from a part of its buffer zone,” the State Department official said, calling the move a “significant demonstration of good faith toward Lebanon’s legitimate government.”

The official did not say how much territory was involved or identify the locations of the alleged withdrawal.

The official said the next step should be for the Lebanese military to enter the vacated areas and “verifiably clear out terrorist weapons and infrastructure,” a reference to Hezbollah’s positions and arms in southern Lebanon.

According to the official, the same model could later be repeated in other parts of southern Lebanon, allowing Lebanese state forces to take control of territory while Israel reduces its footprint.

But the claim was quickly challenged.

Two Israeli military sources denied to The Jerusalem Post that Israel had withdrawn from the buffer zone. A senior Lebanese security official also said Beirut was unaware of any Israeli pullback.

Under the proposal discussed in Washington, Israeli forces would withdraw from limited “pilot” areas, while vetted Lebanese army units would deploy in their place. Israeli officials have said any Lebanese troops involved would need US training and vetting to ensure they are not linked to Hezbollah.

Lebanese officials have pushed for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty. Israel, however, has insisted it will not leave areas it says are needed to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding attack infrastructure near the border.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said earlier this week that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon, even as Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to reassure regional allies that US diplomacy with Iran would not come at Israel’s expense.

“We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region,” Rubio said during a visit to Kuwait.

The dispute comes after months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with a major ground and air campaign in Lebanon and established a security zone along and beyond parts of the border.

Israel says the zone is necessary to protect northern communities from Hezbollah raids, anti-tank missile fire and rocket attacks. Lebanon says the Israeli presence violates its sovereignty and has made withdrawal a central demand in the Washington talks.

The US-backed proposal is designed to bridge those positions by allowing limited Israeli withdrawals only where the Lebanese army can prove it is capable of preventing Hezbollah from returning. The State Department official’s statement suggested Washington wants to present the process as already underway.

IDFIsrael LebanonLebanonUS State Department