All or northing: Iran rejects partial IDF pullout from Lebanon

IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani says Israel must pull all of its forces out of Lebanon or face “humiliation and defeat.”

By World Israel News Staff

IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani demanded Thursday that Israel withdraw entirely from Lebanon, warning that Israeli forces would otherwise be driven out “in humiliation and defeat,” as Washington tried to advance talks over a possible phased Israeli pullback from parts of southern Lebanon.

“You must leave all of Lebanon,” Qaani said in remarks carried by state media. “This land is a field of steadfastness and resistance, not a playground for occupiers.”

“If you do not withdraw of your own accord today, tomorrow you will be forced to flee in humiliation and defeat,” he said.

The remarks came amid conflicting accounts over whether Israel has already withdrawn from part of the security zone it has held in southern Lebanon during the war with Hezbollah.

A US State Department official said Thursday that Israel had pulled back from part of its buffer zone, describing the move as a confidence-building step meant to allow Lebanese state forces to enter the area.

“Israel has already taken a concrete step by pulling back from a part of its buffer zone,” the official said, according to reports. The official said the Lebanese Armed Forces should now move into the area and “verifiably clear out terrorist weapons and infrastructure.”

But Israeli and Lebanese officials denied that any such withdrawal had taken place. Two Israeli military sources told The Jerusalem Post that Israel had not pulled back from the buffer zone. A senior Lebanese security official also said Beirut was not aware of any Israeli troop withdrawal.

The dispute follows US-mediated discussions between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington over a “pilot” plan that would transfer some territory in southern Lebanon from Israeli control to the Lebanese army.

Under the proposal, Israel would withdraw from limited areas while the Lebanese Armed Forces, backed by US training and vetting, would deploy in their place and prevent Hezbollah from returning.

Israel has said it will not withdraw from southern Lebanon unless it is confident Hezbollah cannot rebuild its positions near the border.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel would keep its buffer zone in southern Lebanon as long as he remains prime minister. Israeli officials have described the zone as necessary to protect northern communities from Hezbollah raids, rocket fire and anti-tank missile attacks.

Lebanon has demanded a full Israeli withdrawal and the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty over all of its territory. Lebanese officials have also objected to any arrangement that could make Israel’s presence permanent or allow Israel to dictate where the Lebanese army can operate.