According to Hezbollah, Israel is not only engaging in espionage but is also attempting to destabilize its relationship with the Lebanese Armed Forces, thereby delaying the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, as reported this morning (Monday) by the Lebanese news outlet LCBI.
Claims of IDF Listening Devices
According to the report, security sources stated:
“Israel is trying to justify its actions and withdraw from the border area by undermining the cooperation between Hezbollah and the Lebanese Armed Forces in dismantling military infrastructure and transferring weapons depots south of the Litani River. The slow pace of redeployment does not align with the 60-day framework established in the ceasefire resolution, prior to the full repositioning along the border.”
The sources also added that they “do not rule out the information suggesting that the IDF planted listening devices, especially in areas recently entered by Israeli forces, such as the Al-Khujair Valley and Al-Sluki Valley.”
Israel May Retain Forces in Lebanon Despite Ceasefire Agreement
On November 26, 2024, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon was presented to the cabinet and approved. Under the agreement, Israel is expected to gradually withdraw its forces into Israeli territory within 60 days of the agreement’s enactment. However, according to Israel Hayom, Israel is considering leaving IDF forces in strategic positions in southern Lebanon even after the agreement’s expiration.
This consideration has reportedly been discussed in recent meetings among Israel’s political and security leadership, focusing on several key points:
1. The slow deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in the south.
2. The large quantities of Hezbollah’s weapons and infrastructure still being uncovered by IDF forces.
3. Hezbollah’s ongoing attempts to rebuild its strength with Iranian assistance.
In recent weeks, Israel has lodged multiple complaints with various international bodies regarding the Lebanese Armed Forces’ slow actions, emphasizing that if Lebanon fails to meet its obligations under the agreement, the IDF will remain in southern Lebanon to ensure the security of residents.
IDF Activities in Southern Lebanon
During recent operations led by Task Force 300, operating under Division 146 in cooperation with engineering units, the IDF destroyed a 100-meter-long underground tunnel. The tunnel led to a staging position used by Hezbollah’s elite “Radwan Unit.”
These developments highlight the ongoing tensions along the border and the challenges in fully implementing the ceasefire agreement amidst Hezbollah’s persistent provocations and Israel’s steadfast commitment to its security.
Hezbollah Tunnel that the IDF Discovered and Destroyed.
