Ceasefire: Israel reports incident in southern Lebanon; Erdoğan happy with deal; Clean-up operations begin in Beirut
Tel Aviv/Istanbul/Beirut, Nov. 27, 2024
The Israeli military reported an incident in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, hours after the ceasefire with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia came into force.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that soldiers had identified a vehicle with several suspects in a zone prohibited for movement in Lebanese territory.
“IDF troops fired to prevent them from advancing, and the suspects left the area,” the statement added.
“The IDF will operate against anyone who attempts to breach the ceasefire agreement and will continue to protect the citizens of Israel.”
Israeli broadcaster Kan reported that eight vehicles and a motorcycle with Hezbollah members had entered the area of Kafr Kila near the border with Israel.
Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced that he had instructed the army to “take decisive and uncompromising action” in response to the incident.
If Israeli troops were in danger, they would have to attack, he warned.
The incident came shortly after the 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect at 4 am (0200 GMT).
Which put an end to weeks of intense fighting that forced hundreds of thousands to flee southern Lebanon and saw repeated bombings of the capital Beirut
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that during this time, Israel is to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah fighters are to return behind the Litani River under UN Resolution 1701, which marked the end of the last war in Lebanon in 2006 but was never fully implemented.
The report says that 10,000 Lebanese Army troops, who are not involved in the war, are to be stationed in the border area.
Meanwhile, Turkey has welcomed the ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and the Hezbollah militia, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in the capital Ankara on Wednesday.
Erdoğan separately called for an end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip.
All parties, especially Israel, must now comply with their obligations, Erdoğan said in a speech to his parliamentary group.
Turkey will continue to do everything it can to stop the killing in the Gaza Strip and ensure a lasting ceasefire, added the Turkish president.
A ceasefire brokered by the U.S. and France came into force at 4 am (0200 GMT).
According to media reports, Israeli ground troops are scheduled to withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days.
Hezbollah, in turn, is to withdraw from the Litani River about 30 kilometers north of the border.
Following the ceasefire deal, clean-up operations began in Beirut on Wednesday hours after it took effect.
Acting Public Works Minister Ali Hamie said construction was underway to reopen roads from the centre of the Lebanese capital to the southern suburbs.
Eyewitnesses said excavators and clearing vehicles were already at work removing rubble in the suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold that suffered extensive damage from Israeli airstrikes.
Displaced residents were also returning to the area, with one woman telling dpa: “I lost my house, but I feel victory that I am back to the rubble of my house.”
Also, the Lebanese Army on Wednesday said that it was taking the “necessary measures” to implement the ceasefire.
Lebanese military is to be stationed on the border as part of the ceasefire agreement to ensure that Hezbollah remain north of the Litani River, according to the UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
“The Lebanese Army is to cooperate with peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to complete the mission,” it said in a post on X.
It further called on residents of southern Lebanon to be patient before attempting to return home as Israeli troops withdraw from the area.
Long traffic jams have already formed on roads to the region, with an Israeli military spokesman warning civilians to stay away from specific areas until the ceasefire conditions are met
