[95304] Reports on the beginning of a partial Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and talks on the transfer of control

Contacts for an Israeli withdrawal and changes on the ground in southern Lebanon

In the last 24 hours, numerous reports have flowed through Arab and international media regarding changes in the deployment of IDF forces in southern Lebanon. According to a report by Israeli Television and Radio, the IDF has begun "reducing its military presence" in southern Lebanon, a step that according to reports comes following a demand by the American administration led by Donald Trump.

Simultaneously, the newspaper Haaretz reports, based on informed sources, that Israel and Lebanon are expected to discuss this week "pilot areas" where security responsibility will be transferred to the Lebanese army, under American supervision. Within this framework, the IDF is expected to carry out a partial withdrawal from what is referred to in reports as the "Yellow Line." However, security sources cited in Israeli Channel 12 expressed skepticism regarding the Lebanese army's ability to act against Hezbollah, noting that it is a "test of its capability and motivation."

Regarding Hezbollah tunnels, Channel 12 and Deutsche Welle in Persian report that Israel is considering allowing the Lebanese army to take control of an underground complex in the town of Tebnine. According to the IDF, the complex captured near Majdal Zoun contained "12 rooms, four launching positions, and hundreds of weapon items," including anti-tank missiles and drones.

Sources identified with the Axis of Resistance, such as Fars News, describe the steps as a "symbolic" withdrawal or one forced due to pressure from the American administration and agreements with Iran, while in Israel they emphasize the need for strict conditions – including the distancing of Hezbollah to the north of the Litani River and the dismantling of infrastructure in the south – as a condition for ending the campaign.