BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, April 21 - Lebanon’s parliament speaker warned on Tuesday that Israeli forces occupying parts of southern Lebanon would encounter resistance if they do not pull back, signaling a risk of renewed hostilities ahead of U.S.-facilitated discussions scheduled for this week.
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, mediated by Washington, has largely held since last Thursday. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli troops remain deployed in a belt of Lebanese territory 5-10 km deep along the full length of the border. Israel says the deployment aims to create a buffer zone to protect northern Israel from attacks by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shi’ite Muslim group.
U.S.-hosted ambassador-level talks between Israel and Lebanon are due on Thursday. Lebanon was drawn into the broader regional conflict on March 2 when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Tehran. The discussions follow earlier contacts between the two countries that marked the highest-level communications in decades.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Lebanon’s most senior Shi’ite statesman and an ally of Hezbollah, told the Lebanese newspaper al-Joumhouria that Lebanon could not tolerate the loss of even a metre of its territory. Berri, who leads the Shi’ite Amal Movement, warned:
"If Israel maintains its occupation, whether of areas, positions, or by drawing yellow lines, it will smell the scent of resistance every day."
Last week, both the Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the phrase "Yellow Line" to describe Israel’s deployment line in Lebanon - terminology previously used by Israel to describe its deployment line in Gaza. Israeli officials have since avoided that phrase and instead described the presence as a "forward defense line." On Sunday, a military map published by Israeli authorities marked the line in red and included a "naval forward defense area" extending from Lebanon’s coastline into the sea.
Berri reiterated the historical record in warning of resistance, saying: "If they insist on remaining, they will face resistance, and our history bears witness to that." Israel withdrew troops from southern Lebanon in 2000 after a 22-year occupation. During that period, Hezbollah, Amal and other groups carried out attacks against Israeli forces.
A French presidency source told officials that a lasting solution must be found and that such a resolution could not include the establishment of a permanent buffer zone in southern Lebanon. The source said that if a lasting peace between Lebanon and Israel were achieved, a buffer zone would no longer be necessary for Israel’s security.
Lebanese authorities say Israel’s offensive in response to Hezbollah’s attack has killed nearly 2,300 people. The conflict in Lebanon has also complicated Pakistan’s attempts to mediate between the United States and Iran; Tehran has insisted that Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah be included in any agreement addressing the wider war.
President Donald Trump announced the Lebanon ceasefire on April 16 after separate phone calls with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. Iran said the ceasefire was part of an understanding reached with the United States and mediated by Pakistan. Washington has denied any link between those talks and other diplomatic efforts.
The United States hosted talks between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in Washington on April 14, representing the highest-level contacts between the two states in decades, despite strong objections from Hezbollah.
On the question of direct engagement with Israel, Berri told Al-Joumhouria that he saw no need for direct talks with Israel, noting his participation in multiple rounds of indirect talks over the years. President Aoun has included Israeli withdrawal among the objectives of Lebanon’s face-to-face negotiations, and Aoun’s administration has for a year sought the peaceful disarmament of Hezbollah. Israel has made the disarmament of Hezbollah an explicit objective of its campaign.
Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that the ultimate aim of the campaign against Hezbollah was to see the group disarmed by a combination of military and diplomatic measures. He warned:
"If the Lebanese government continues not to keep it commitment (to disarm Hezbollah), the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will do so by continuing its military activity."
Prime Minister Netanyahu struck a more measured tone on Friday, acknowledging the difficulty of achieving his objectives: "Disarming Hezbollah will not be achieved tomorrow. It requires sustained effort, patience, and endurance, and it requires wise navigation of the diplomatic field," he said.
The situation remains fluid. While the ceasefire has mostly held, the continued presence of Israeli forces on Lebanese soil and competing aims over territorial control, disarmament and diplomatic engagement keep the prospect of renewed confrontation alive as international and regional actors prepare for talks intended to stabilize the border and address broader security concerns.