On Saturday, the Lebanese army expanded its deployment in areas from which the Israeli occupation army continues to withdraw in the western sector, as part of implementing the ceasefire decision that went into effect on November 27.

Macron - Berri

During a phone call with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed France's commitment to continue supporting Lebanon in all areas, especially the Lebanese army, and its keenness to implement the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon, promising to visit Lebanon soon, congratulating the election of a new president of the republic, and praising Berri's role and efforts in fulfilling the promise he made in order to complete the entitlement at a historic moment for Lebanon.

In turn, the Speaker of the House of Representatives thanked the French President and France for their constant support for Lebanon and their participation in the UNIFIL forces and in the five-member technical committee that supervises the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, stressing the importance of adhering to the ceasefire, stopping Israeli violations, and Israel’s withdrawal from all Lebanese territories within the 60-day period.

Israel's withdrawal

As this deadline approaches, the Hebrew website "Kan" indicated that the American envoy, Amos Hochstein, announced that the United States had guaranteed a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon before the ceasefire ends.

Acting Army Commander Major General Hassan Odeh received in his office at the Ministry of Defense the head of the five-member oversight committee (Mechanism), US General Jasper Jeffers, and a delegation from the committee. The meeting discussed developments in the south and the stages of implementing the ceasefire agreement.

Field developments

On the ground, more than one source reported on Saturday that army personnel were deployed inside the town of Tayr Harfa, Wadi Ain al-Zarqa, and al-Batishiyeh between it and al-Dhahir, as well as the town of Ramyeh, while the Israeli army continued to demolish homes in the town of Aita al-Shaab in the Bint Jbeil district. This resulted in loud sounds that echoed in a number of southern areas, according to the National News Agency.

Civil Defense personnel were able to retrieve the bodies of 3 people on Saturday in the town of Khiam, while the Lebanese Civil Defense rescue and ambulance teams began supporting the army in the process of removing the rubble to retrieve bodies still present in the Naqoura area.

It was also reported on Saturday that “an Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb on citizens who were moving furniture from their home in Aitaroun,” while an Israeli drone targeted a car in the border town of Kounine without hitting it.