Lebanese army units continued to deploy in the Naqoura border area and towns in the western and central sectors, after the Israeli army withdrew from it, while the Lebanese Prime Minister sent a “clear message” that Israeli violations must stop and that there must be a complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

The Lebanese Army Command said in a statement: “Army units have begun deploying to position themselves in Ras al-Naqoura, Alma al-Shaab, Tyre Harfa - Tyre, Beit Lif - Bint Jbeil and other towns in the western and central sectors, after the Israeli enemy withdrew from them, while deployment in Naqoura is being completed.” It added: “Specialized units are continuing the engineering survey with the aim of removing unexploded ordnance, opening roads and removing rubble, in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the five-member committee supervising the ceasefire agreement, and in conjunction with a tour of the region by the head of the committee, the American general, and its two members, the French general and the commander of the South Litani sector in the army.”

The army command called on citizens not to approach the area and to adhere to the instructions of the military units until the end of the deployment. On Monday, the southern Lebanese border witnessed important developments represented by the withdrawal of the Israeli army from several areas in the western sector, especially the town of Naqoura, before the end of the ceasefire period set at sixty days.

This step came after a meeting of the five-member committee in Ras al-Naqoura, in the presence of US envoy Amos Hochstein.

"Clear message"

For his part, Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed that he “sent a clear message to the international sponsors of the ceasefire agreement that violations must stop and there must be a complete withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories, and that commitment to implementing 1701 is not only Lebanon’s responsibility but is also binding on the Israeli enemy.”

He added: "We warned against continuing to violate the ceasefire understanding, because it threatens the entire understanding, and I do not think anyone wants to happen." He expressed his hope that "this opening will be a sign of a final and comprehensive cessation of aggression and its repercussions, the completion of the army's deployment throughout the south, and the return of all displaced Lebanese."

Almost complete destruction

For the first time since the outbreak of the Lebanon war, fishermen entered the port of Naqoura accompanied by the Lebanese army, and inspected their boats with the mayor, Abbas Awada. Some boats were seen sunken in the port as a result of their collision with the dock, and some of them were damaged.

Naqoura Mayor Abbas Awada confirmed that “the town of Naqoura is almost completely destroyed.” Awada called on the town’s residents to “wait before returning, awaiting a field inspection for fear of the presence of unexploded ordnance.”

On Monday, the Naqoura Municipality announced that the Lebanese army had begun deploying to its positions inside the town, noting that “to facilitate the passage of army vehicles and their logistical and engineering teams to the town, and in coordination with the army and the relevant official authorities, the residents will be informed of the timing and plan for the return if the necessary serious information is available.” The municipality confirmed that “the safe return will be exclusively with the support of an army force and civil defense teams, after ensuring that there is no potential danger.”

Israeli reminder to the residents of the south

The invitation of the mayor of Naqoura was preceded by a “reminder” from the Israeli army to the residents of southern Lebanon. Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said via the “X” platform: “A new reminder to the residents of southern Lebanon that until further notice, you are prohibited from moving south to the village line and its surroundings.”

US Embassy Statement

In addition, the US Embassy announced in a statement that “the Chairman of the Cessation of Hostilities Implementation Mechanism Committee, US General Jasper Jeffers, and French General Guillaume Ponchamp, joined this morning in a visit to the headquarters of the Lebanese Army’s Fifth Brigade in the western sector of southern Lebanon.”

The headquarters is located five kilometers northeast of the town of Naqoura, which is now under the control of the Lebanese Army after the first phase of the Israeli withdrawal was implemented on Monday. The embassy statement noted that “as part of the transition process enabled by the committee, the Lebanese Army immediately deployed its forces to the area to clear roads, remove unauthorized munitions, and provide security for the Lebanese people.” According to the statement, Generals Jeffers and Bonchamp “were briefed on the weapons stockpiles that will be destroyed in the coming days, which the Lebanese Army seized from unauthorized armed groups.”

Jeffers praised the work of the Lebanese army, stressing that "the Lebanese army is the legitimate institution that provides security for Lebanon, and it continues to prove to me and the rest of the committee that it has the ability, the intention, and the leadership to secure and defend Lebanon. It acted decisively, quickly, and with clear expertise."

“Today we saw an example of that with the soldiers of the 5th Brigade,” he added. “The engineering regiment in particular is full of true professionals who remove hundreds of pieces of unexploded ordnance every week and make them safe.”