Israel warns Hezbollah to withdraw forces or risk ceasefire collapse

JERUSALEM -- Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning to Hezbollah on Sunday, stating that if the armed group does not withdraw all forces north of the Litani River, Israel will break the ceasefire agreement.

The terms of the ceasefire mandate Hezbollah to pull its fighters and weapons north of the Litani River by Jan 26. By the same date, Israel must fully withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line, the United Nations-demarcated border between Lebanon and Israel, while the Lebanese army is to deploy forces to the area.

Speaking on Sunday during a visit to Israel's Northern Command, Katz said Israel remains committed to enforcing the agreement. "Israel seeks to uphold the agreement in Lebanon," he stated.

However, he claimed that Hezbollah has not completed the withdrawal of its forces. "If this condition is not met -- there will be no agreement," he said.

The ceasefire agreement ended months of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that began in October 2023. However, Israel has continued limited operations, claiming to target Hezbollah militants violating the truce. Lebanon and France have accused Israel of dozens of ceasefire violations, further highlighting the fragile truce.