The Lebanese army has said it is preparing to deploy to southern Lebanon as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. The deal, brokered by the US and France, came into force in the early hours of this morning.
What are the terms of the deal?
Israel will gradually withdraw its forces from Lebanon as Hezbollah leaves its positions in the region, and retreats north of the Litani River – which runs around 30km (20miles) north of the border.
As the Israeli forces move back, the Lebanese army will take control of the territory.
The process of the full withdrawal of Israeli forces is planned to take around 60 days, but this is only the first phase of what is meant to be a permanent end to the fighting.
Over time, the Lebanese army will ensure Hezbollah doesn’t rebuild infrastructure there, with the country’s foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib saying it could deploy at least 5,000 troops.
As we just reported, the Lebanese army is preparing to deploy at the moment (see previous post).
The Lebanese army will then be joined by an international task force – led by US and including French peacekeepers – who will oversee the implementation of the agreement.
The Lebanese army will then need to expand its role, particularly in the south – where it would become the only armed body.
In theory, both Lebanese and Israelis will be able to return to their homes on either side of the border.
The agreement is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities, Joe Biden said last night
Source: Skynews.