Israel army withdraws from Lebanon town under ceasefire

The Israeli army has withdrawn its forces from Khiam in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli media on Thursday, Anadolu Agency reports.

The Israeli public broadcaster, KAN, said Lebanese army forces and UN peacekeepers replaced Israeli troops in the town under a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon.

KAN said US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief, Michael Kurilla, arrived in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and watched the Lebanese army deployment in Khiam after Israeli troop withdrawal.

CENTCOM said General Kurilla met with Lebanese army chief, Joseph Aoun, to discuss the “ongoing efforts to advance a lasting cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon.”

Read: After Palestine and Lebanon, Israel extends its violations of international law to Syria

Lebanon’s state news agency, NNA, said that Lebanese army forces have deployed in five points around Khiam in coordination with the UNIFIL forces.

The ceasefire deal came into force on 27 November in hopes of ending 14 months of fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.

Under the ceasefire terms, Israel is required to withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line – a de facto border – in phases, while the Lebanese army is to deploy in southern Lebanon within 60 days.

More than 4,000 people have been killed and over 16,500 injured in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, in addition to over 1 million displaced since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.

The Israeli military violated the ceasefire deal with Lebanon 11 times on the 14th day, bringing the total number of violations to 194 [Omar Zaghloul – Anadolu Agency]