The extension of the cease-fire agreement with Hezbollah will expire in three days, and the defense establishment is optimistic about the implementation of the rest agreement, and estimates that the withdrawal of forces from southern Lebanon will be completed in the coming days, parallel to the deployment of the Lebanese army in these areas under the supervision of the U.S. mechanism.
A critical meeting was held between the two sides over the weekend, with the participation of American officers and UNIFIL leaders. The sides described it as successful, with agreement on the IDF's withdrawal from the Shiite villages on the demarcation line. At the same time, Israel insists on militarily controlling five strategic points along the border, on the Lebanese side, because they have control over observation sites and lines of fire, as well as infiltration routes into nearby Israeli communities. The sides are expected to hold final negotiations on this in the coming days, and Israel has not ruled out the possibility of a further extension of the cease-fire.
The IDF has already been gradually withdrawing from most areas in southern Lebanon in recent weeks, parallel to the withdrawal of Lebanese army forces into the area. Either way, the effort to complete the negotiations and withdrawal corresponds with the plan at the political and military levels to return the population evacuated from the Galilee in the north to their homes in as little as two weeks.
At the same time, the IDF is expected to continue its aggressive enforcement of the cease-fire, as it has been in recent days deep inside Lebanon and north of the Litani River, and also to prevent the transfer of weapons or support from Iran to Hezbollah.
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Meanwhile, the IDF announced Saturday evening that the Israeli Air Force had eliminated Abbas Hamoud in southern Lebanon, one of the leaders of the Hezbollah aerial forces who was responsible for launching drones into Israel. "The IAF conducted a precise and intelligence-based strike on a central terrorist in Hezbollah’s aerial unit in the area of southern Lebanon," the IDF said in a statement. "The terrorist was targeted after repeatedly violating the understandings between Israel and Lebanon over the past few weeks, including his role in leading the launch of UAVs toward Israeli territory."
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The Israeli Air Force struck a vehicle carrying a Hezbollah terrorist in southern Lebanon
Lebanese media confirmed that Hamoud was killed in a car attack in the village of Jarjua, in the Nabatieh region in southern Lebanon, and reported that Ahmed Farhat was also killed alongside him. Lebanon's Ministry of Health claimed that five people, including two children, were injured in the attack.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would consider to strike back against attacks from Lebanon.
"As I warned - if there are drones, there will be no Hezbollah," Katz said. "We will not allow the reality of drone launches toward the State of Israel. The launch of the drones constitutes crossing a red line and a blatant violation of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. We will continue with the policy of strong enforcement against any violation of the cease-fire and protect the security of the residents of the Galilee; We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7."
His office reported that "the minister instructed the IDF to act firmly against those responsible for the drone launches from Lebanon."