Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati denied on Friday that his country had been informed by any party that Israel would not withdraw from the south after the expiry of the sixty-day period agreed upon in the ceasefire agreement.

Since November 27, a fragile ceasefire has prevailed, ending the mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah that began on October 8, 2023, and then turned into a full-scale war on September 23.

In a statement, Mikati's media office said: "Press information is being circulated that Lebanon is being informed through intermediaries that Israel will not withdraw from the south after the expiration of the sixty-day truce period."

The statement stressed that "this talk is absolutely untrue, and the firm position that Mikati conveyed to all concerned parties, most notably the United States and France, the sponsors of the ceasefire understanding, stipulates the necessity of pressuring the Israeli enemy to withdraw from the Lebanese territories it has penetrated, and to stop its violations and hostile acts."

He continued: "Mikati reiterated this position during the intensive diplomatic and military contacts he conducted in order to have the enemy withdraw from several towns in the south, namely Qantara, Adshit, Qusayr, and Wadi al-Hujayr."

He added: "Mikati had conveyed this position to the representatives of Washington and Paris in the five-member security committee for the ceasefire, during the meeting at the Grand Serail last Tuesday, and demanded that Israel fully commit to the withdrawal."

He stressed that "the army, which is doing its duty in the areas where it is deployed, has begun to strengthen its presence in the south in accordance with the understanding."

The five-member committee includes representatives from the Lebanese army, Israel, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in addition to the United States and France, the two countries mediating the ceasefire agreement.

On Thursday morning, the Lebanese National News Agency reported that Israeli army vehicles had penetrated through Wadi al-Hujayr into the town of Qantara in southern Lebanon, in a new violation of the ceasefire, bringing the number to more than 300 violations since the agreement went into effect 30 days ago.

Hours later, the Lebanese army announced the withdrawal of Israeli forces that had penetrated into three southern towns, about 6 kilometers from the border.

One of the most prominent provisions of the ceasefire agreement is Israel's gradual withdrawal to the south of the Blue Line separating it from Lebanon.

Within 60 days, the Lebanese army and security forces will be deployed along the borders, crossing points and the southern region.

The Israeli aggression on Lebanon resulted in 4,063 deaths and 16,663 injuries, including a large number of children and women, in addition to the displacement of about 1,400,000 people. Most of the victims and displaced persons were recorded after the escalation of the aggression on September 23.