A senior Israeli official rejected reports emerging from Lebanon of Israeli concessions or a withdrawal, stating Sunday night that the IDF is deployed along the Yellow Line in positions optimal for force protection. The statement echoes a series of denials by Israeli leaders in recent days regarding any ceasefire or pullback in southern Lebanon.
A senior Israeli official pushed back Sunday night against reports from Lebanon suggesting Jerusalem was making goodwill gestures or preparing a withdrawal, insisting that the IDF remains deployed along the Yellow Line security zone in positions chosen for force protection. The statement, reported by Amichai Stein (i24NEWS), said the directive to troops comes from the military echelon with the backing of the political level.
The denial is the latest in a string of Israeli rejections of ceasefire or pullback rumors. As The Zioneer reported Sunday afternoon, Defense Minister Katz stated that all IDF gains in the Lebanon campaign are preserved and forces operate from the Yellow Line inward. Separately, military correspondent Noam Amir said Sunday evening there is no initiated offensive operations underway but stressed there is no ceasefire — calling it an injustice to describe the fighting as such. The IDF spokesperson earlier confirmed that the chief of staff's operational guidelines remain unchanged with no restrictions on troops.
Soldiers along the Yellow Line have described a complex reality, with some units reportedly requiring high-level approval to engage suspected militants — a restriction the political and military echelons continue to publicly deny. The official's blunt statement Sunday night appears aimed at reasserting the unified position after days of contradictory signals.
2 developments
- DevelopingSenior Israeli security official: IDF will not withdraw from southern Lebanon
- DevelopingPM must clarify: The Yellow Line in Lebanon is our red line, senior Israeli figure says
- StrongKatz: All IDF gains in the Lebanon campaign preserved; forces operate from the Yellow Line inward
- StrongSenior Israeli security source: 'In Lebanon there is a war, not a ceasefire'
Source and signal
- Internal intake