Published on 6/21/2026
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Last update: 22:24 (Mecca time)
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that the army would begin reducing its forces in southern Lebanon in the coming days “after completing most of its offensive missions,” while Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that Israel would not remain in Lebanon, and that the party would respond to any violation.
News of the reduction of Israeli forces was accompanied by the army’s announcement of “removing the restrictions imposed on the home front in the towns of the northern region on Monday morning.”
This came despite the insistence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior political and military officials to remain in what Israel calls a security zone in southern Lebanon.
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said – in a post on X – that “there is no intention to withdraw from Beaufort Castle because it is an integral part of the security zone and necessary to defend the towns of the Galilee and our forces.”
Earlier, during his inspection of the occupation forces in southern Lebanon, on Sunday, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said that the ceasefire in Lebanon is fragile, and that his forces continue to fight “to protect the north.”
Zamir added that the Israeli military operations in the Ali Al-Taher area in southern Lebanon are aimed at “protecting the towns of the north and the citizens of Israel.”
The Israeli general was considered Hezbollah received a strong blow and is “in a very difficult situation,” adding, according to a military statement, that “the forces must be prepared to eliminate any threats, and quickly move back to operations if the need arises, and we are committed to remaining in a state of readiness to continue working and preventing the rebuilding of Hezbollah’s capabilities.”
The Israeli Prime Minister took the same approach, stressing, according to what his office reported, that Israeli forces will remain in what Israel calls the security zone in southern Lebanon “as long as necessary to protect the residents of the north,” stressing that “nothing will change this commitment.”
On the other hand, the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, announced the party’s rejection of the presence of a security zone for Israel in southern Lebanon, saying, “Our decision is no return to what was before March 2, and no ceasefire with freedom of movement for Israel.”
Qassem stressed, in a televised speech, that Israel “will not remain in Lebanon,” and that “we will face any violation of the ceasefire.”
Qassem’s speech came after a statement by Hezbollah in which it renewed its condemnation of the direct negotiation approach with Israel and its consequences, and considered that continuing to attend direct negotiation sessions is “an implementation of the order issued by the American administration to the Lebanese authority.”
On Sunday, a cautious calm prevailed over southern Lebanon, as no Israeli raids were recorded in the region, and Hezbollah did not announce the implementation of any operation against the Israeli army.
This calm comes after the Israeli army launched 69 attacks on Lebanon on Saturday, killing 22 people and wounding 18 others, according to a tally by the Anatolia News Agency.
The truce in Lebanon is part of the US-Iranian agreement that entered into force on June 18, 2026 after it was signed electronically by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump.
Since March 2, 2026, Israel has launched an aggression against Lebanon, resulting in the killing of 4,057 people and the injury of 12,121 others, in addition to the displacement of more than a million people, according to data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
