A U.S. State Department source told Reuters that Israel withdrew from part of the buffer zone it established in southern Lebanon as a goodwill gesture, and said the Lebanese army should enter the vacated area. But a Lebanese military source told Al Jazeera no withdrawal was observed, and Israeli military sources said they received no order to withdraw.
A new contradiction has emerged Thursday afternoon: a U.S. State Department source told Reuters that Israel withdrew from part of the buffer zone it established in southern Lebanon as a goodwill gesture, and said the Lebanese army should enter the vacated area. But a Lebanese military source told Al Jazeera that no withdrawal was observed and that Israeli forces remain deployed in all areas they recently captured, while Israeli military sources said they received no order to withdraw.
This is the latest twist in a thread that began at 12:04 today, when The Zioneer first reported Israeli officials denying any decision on withdrawal. At 12:04, the IDF issued its strongest on-record rebuttal — “no force has moved anywhere” — and Lebanese sources reported no visible pullback. Subsequent versions at 12:04 added joint Lebanese-Israeli denials, then a U.S. official's unverified claim of a partial withdrawal, and finally the State Department source's statement, which now stands alone against a wall of denials.
As The Zioneer reported on June 23, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israeli forces are not leaving Lebanon. On June 21, a senior Israeli security official told journalist Mendy Etzraf that the IDF has not withdrawn and will not withdraw from southern Lebanon. U.S. sources had earlier told Lebanon's MTV that an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon is not a condition for the emerging deal with Iran, though Washington still believes a successful ceasefire with Iran should be reflected on the Lebanese front.
The State Department source's claim of a goodwill withdrawal remains unverified and is contradicted by both Israeli and Lebanese military sources on the ground. No independent confirmation of any movement has emerged.
7 developments
- DevelopingSenior Israeli security official: IDF will not withdraw from southern Lebanon
- DevelopingIsraeli officials dismiss reports of IDF withdrawal from points in Lebanon
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz: No US demand to withdraw from Lebanon
- StrongSenior official: Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon is a goodwill gesture toward Beirut
Source and signal
- Internal intake