Lebanese civilians and Lebanese army personnel attempted to enter the village of Kfar Tebnit in southern Lebanon, where IDF forces are deployed, a security source told Israeli media. Reports in Lebanon had suggested the IDF withdrew or reduced its presence there. The security source denied any withdrawal, stating troops are still operating in the village and fired warning shots to keep the civilians back.
A security source told Israeli media Monday evening that Lebanese civilians and Lebanese Army personnel attempted to enter the village of Kfar Tebnit in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops are deployed. The source denied reports that the IDF had withdrawn or reduced its presence there, stating troops remain in the village and fired warning shots to push the approaching individuals back. A report earlier today also indicated the IDF had not conducted airstrikes in Lebanon for at least 48 hours, even as Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted full freedom of action — a contradiction noted by The Zioneer.
The Monday afternoon events cap a sequence of developments we have reported through the day. At 15:25 Jerusalem, initial video footage showed Lebanese Army troops arriving in Tebnit, with unclear purpose. Minutes later, Lebanese channels reported residents entering the village, an unverified single-source claim. By the same timestamp, the Lebanese army was escorting residents back, and Hezbollah operatives and spotters were reported among the returnees, per security analyst Hananel Aviv — without being fired upon, attributed to political-level restrictions following a U.S. request. The IDF source now denies any withdrawal and confirms that warning shots were used.
The ground situation in Kfar Tebnit has been a recurring flashpoint for weeks. As The Zioneer previously reported, Hezbollah claimed heavy clashes with the IDF there on June 16, and the Lebanese Army withdrew from the village on June 13 as Israeli ground forces advanced. On June 17, an Israeli jet struck a target in the al-Tibnah area nearby. More broadly, as we reported at 16:29 Jerusalem today, an Israeli source said the IAF has not struck in Lebanon for days, raising questions about the claim of full operational freedom.
It remains unclear whether the Monday incident signals a wider shift in the IDF's ground posture in southern Lebanon. The security source's denial of withdrawal contradicts earlier reports of a reduced footprint, and the reports of Hezbollah spotters approaching Israeli positions without being engaged have not been officially addressed by the IDF.
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