Hezbollah demands full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon by February 18

The leader of Hezbollah, an armed organisation in Lebanon, stated on Sunday that Israel has “no pretext” to have a military presence in any station in southern Lebanon and that all Israeli forces must leave Lebanese land by February 18.

Under a truce arranged by Washington in November, Israeli forces were given 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where they had been fighting Iranian-backed Hezbollah rebels since early October.

The deadline was then extended on February 18, but Israel’s military asked that troops remain in five sites in southern Lebanon, sources told Reuters last week.

In a recorded televised speech, Hezbollah secretary general Naim Qassem said: “Israel must withdraw completely on Feb. 18, it has no pretext, no five points or other details… this is the agreement.”

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Qassem said any Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil after February 18 would be considered an occupying force.

“Everyone knows how an occupation is dealt with,” Qassem said, without explicitly threatening that his group would resume attacks against Israel.

Israel’s public broadcaster said on Wednesday the U.S. had authorised a “long term” Israeli troop presence in southern Lebanon.

During the broadcast of Qassem’s speech, at least three Israeli air strikes hit Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Israel’s military said it conducted strikes after identifying Hezbollah activity at sites containing rocket launchers and other weapons.

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Qassem also called on the Lebanese government to reconsider its ban on Iranian flights landing in Beirut.

Lebanese authorities banned the flights from landing until February 18 following Israeli accusations that Tehran was using civilian aircraft to smuggle cash to Beirut to arm Hezbollah.

The decision stranded dozens of Lebanese nationals in Iran, where they had been on a religious pilgrimage with plans to return via Iran’s Mahan Air. Lebanon sent two of its own planes to retrieve them, but Iran barred them from landing in Tehran.

Hezbollah organised a protest outside Beirut airport on Saturday, where its supporters were tear gassed by Lebanese troops.

Qassem described Lebanon’s ban on Iranian planes as “the implementation of an Israeli order”.

“Let the plane land and we will see what Israel will do,” he said.