BEIRUT: Most military sites belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon have been placed under Lebanese army control, a source close to the group said on Saturday.

A Nov 27 ceasefire which ended more than a year of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, including two months of full-blown war, stipulated that only United Nations peacekeepers and Lebanon’s army should be deployed in the country’s south.

The deal required Hezbollah to dismantle its remaining infrastructure in the south and move its fighters north of the Litani River, which is about 30 kilometres from the Israeli border.

“Out of 265 Hezbollah military positions identified south of the Litani, the movement has ceded about 190 to the army,” the source said.

Under the ceasefire, Israel was to complete its troop withdrawal from Lebanon by Feb 18 after missing a January deadline, but it has kept troops in five places it deems `strategic’.

Israel has continued to strike what it says are Hezbollah infrastructure or members of the group in Lebanon.

The United States deputy special envoy for the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, discussed disarming Hezbollah with senior Lebanese figures during her visit to the country a week ago, a Lebanese official said.

In an interview with Lebanese television channel LBCI, Ortagus said that “we continue to press on this government to fully fulfil the cessation of hostilities, and that includes disarming Hezbollah and all militias”.

She said it should happen “as soon as possible”.

The United States chairs a committee, which also includes France, tasked with overseeing the ceasefire.

Following the Hamas raid in Israel on Oct 7, 2023, Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel in support of the Palestinians.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025