'We remain in Lebanon' - Netanyahu says Israel will not withdraw from expanded buffer zone despite ceasefire

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel would not withdraw from Lebanon, maintaining an 'expanded security zone' stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to the Syrian border ahead of a ceasefire, while speaking in a video address on Thursday. "We remain in Lebanon. [...] This is a security belt that stretches from the sea, continues to Mount Dov and the approaches to Mount Hermon, all the way to the Syrian border," he detailed, adding that the zone was distinct from the limited presence that existed before the Lion's Roar operation. It comes after the prime minister rejected both of Hezbollah's ceasefire conditions – a full Israeli withdrawal to the international border and a 'quiet for quiet' arrangement. "I did not agree to either of these, and indeed these two conditions are not being implemented," he asserted. Netanyahu framed Israel's position as the result of a fundamentally shifted balance of power, citing the elimination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the destruction of 'a stockpile of 150,000 rockets'. "The situation on the ground has changed fundamentally," he persisted, remarking that Lebanon had since reached out for direct peace talks, "something that has not happened for over 40 years," and that President Trump intended to invite both the Lebanese president and himself to advance 'a historic peace agreement'. The statement follows a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that reportedly took effect at midnight Friday local time (April 16, 21:00 GMT), coming days after rare direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington described by officials as 'open, direct, high-level' diplomacy. A ceasefire between Iran and the US-Israel alliance came into effect last week, though disputes remain over whether it extends to Lebanon. Talks between the sides ended in Islamabad on Sunday without agreement. Clashes in Lebanon erupted again on March 2 after Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel, which it said were 'in revenge' for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei."

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