Israel warns Lebanon truce could collapse if Hezbollah doesn’t withdraw in south

Israel has warned on Sunday that its ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah could collapse if the Iran-backed group does not withdraw beyond the Litani River, one of the key stipulations of the truce.

Israel warned on Sunday that the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah could collapse if the Iran-backed group does not withdraw beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon, one of the key stipulations of the truce. Both Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement although it has largely been holding. The two parties agreed to stop hostilities for at least 60 days from November 27. In this time, Hezbollah fighters were expected to retreat 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Israel-Lebanon border, while Israeli ground forces withdrew from Lebanese territory. The ceasefire deal stipulated that, before January 26, the only armed groups present south of the Litani should be the Lebanese military and UN peacekeeping forces. On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said: “If Hezbollah does not withdraw beyond the Litani River, there will be no agreement. “Israel seeks to uphold the agreement in Lebanon and will continue to enforce it fully and without compromise in order to ensure the safe return of northern residents to their homes,” Katz said, according to his spokesperson.