Sat Jan 18 19:33:12 UTC 2025: ## Lebanon Demands Israeli Withdrawal from South by January 26 Deadline
**Beirut, Lebanon** – Lebanon’s newly elected President Joseph Aoun has issued a stark warning to Israel, demanding a complete withdrawal from southern Lebanon by the January 26th deadline stipulated in last year’s ceasefire agreement. His statement follows a visit by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who also called for Israel to end its “occupation” of the region.
President Aoun’s office declared that continued Israeli incursions, including air strikes and the destruction of border villages, are blatant violations of the ceasefire and Lebanese sovereignty. This echoes concerns voiced by the UN, which has documented over 100 weapons caches in southern Lebanon belonging to Hezbollah or other armed groups. Guterres pledged to exert every effort to ensure a secure Israeli withdrawal by the deadline.
The UN chief’s visit underscored international support for Lebanon’s new leadership, offering hope for stability and economic recovery in a nation grappling with a severe financial crisis. This support was further solidified with a US announcement of over $117 million in new security assistance for the Lebanese army and security forces, aimed at implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
France also joined in urging a swift Israeli withdrawal and strengthening of the Lebanese army. However, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem warned that Israel’s repeated ceasefire violations, numbering in the hundreds according to Hezbollah, are testing the group’s patience. While the Lebanese army, alongside UNIFIL peacekeepers, has been gradually deploying in the south as Israeli forces withdraw, the situation remains tense, with the January 26th deadline looming as a crucial point of contention.
First Piper 