US Ambassador to Israel: Withdrawal from Lebanon is Linked to the Strength of the Lebanese Army

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The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, confirmed that Israeli forces will remain in Lebanon until the Lebanese army is strong enough, assuring the Lebanese that Israel does not want to stay in Lebanon and does not wish to annex parts of its territory.

The ambassador explained that Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory is contingent upon the Lebanese army reaching a level of strength and capability that allows it to perform its role, linking any Israeli withdrawal to the capabilities of the Lebanese military.

The ambassador's statements come at a time when the issue of Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and the role of the Lebanese army in border areas remains central to developments related to the situation in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement on June 26 after five rounds of direct negotiations under U.S. sponsorship, which stipulated the disarmament of Hezbollah and the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from the territories it occupies in southern Lebanon, with the deployment of the Lebanese army starting from "experimental" areas.

The intensity of hostilities in Lebanon has decreased since late June thanks to the Iranian-American memorandum of understanding and the framework agreement, but Tel Aviv continues to occupy vast areas in southern Lebanon where it announced the establishment of a "security zone" extending ten kilometers deep along its borders, and continues to carry out massive strikes and demolition operations.

The war in the Middle East has extended to Lebanon since March 2 after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel "in retaliation" for the killing of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei. Israeli strikes have resulted in the deaths of more than 4,300 people, according to Lebanese authorities.