Video footage published from the area shows Lebanese army APCs and military vehicles inside the village of Zoutar al-Gharbiya in southern Lebanon following the withdrawal of IDF forces. The clips also capture the first movements of Lebanese civilians returning to the village, according to reports.
Footage published from the area Tuesday confirmed the presence of Lebanese army APCs and military vehicles inside the village of Zoutar al-Gharbiya, following the IDF withdrawal and the entry of the Lebanese army earlier in the day. The clips also show the first Lebanese civilians returning to the village, according to reports. The development comes hours after The Zioneer reported at 10:45 Jerusalem that the Lebanese army had entered the village as part of the pilot program.
The Israeli-Lebanese withdrawal process has been tracked by The Zioneer since Monday, when Channel 14 first reported that the Lebanese army would deploy in areas cleared by the IDF (16:19 Jerusalem). Later on Monday, the US confirmed the start of the gradual IDF withdrawal from pilot zones, and Israeli officials said the withdrawal would begin Tuesday. The Lebanese army then warned residents away from Zoutar al-Gharbiya and announced it would begin monitoring deployment. By 10:45 Tuesday, the Lebanese army had entered the village, according to security analyst Yair Goldblatt, a report now supported by visual evidence.
The deployment follows a broader pattern of IDF withdrawals and Lebanese army deployments in southern Lebanon under the security arrangements. The Zioneer previously reported on June 22 that the Lebanese army was evacuating civilians from border villages, citing that the IDF had not yet withdrawn. The current pilot program represents a phased implementation of the withdrawal agreement.
It remains unclear whether the IDF has fully withdrawn from the entire area or whether the Lebanese army deployment is complete. The footage shows only initial movements of civilians returning; further return may depend on the completion of the military deployment.
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