BEIRUT, June 25 - A U.S. State Department official said on Thursday that Israel has pulled back from a part of the territory in southern Lebanon that it had occupied during its campaign against Hezbollah, and called on Lebanon's armed forces to assume responsibility for the area. There was no immediate response from Israeli authorities.
In contrast to the State Department account, a senior Lebanese security official said they were not aware of any withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area Israel describes as a "buffer zone" inside southern Lebanon.
The State Department official did not provide details on the size of the area from which Israeli forces withdrew or the precise locations where the pullback occurred.
Israel and Lebanon have been participating in talks brokered by the United States in Washington, discussions that are in part focused on stopping the fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.
On the reported Israeli pullback, the U.S. official said: "Israel has already taken a concrete step by pulling back from a part of its buffer zone. This is a significant demonstration of good faith toward Lebanon’s legitimate government," the official said. "The (Lebanese Armed Forces) should now move in and verifiably clear out terrorist weapons and infrastructure. This model will be repeated across South Lebanon, enabling the safe return of displaced families, reconstruction of the south, and the restoration of full Lebanese sovereignty," the official added.
The differing accounts - the State Department's assertion of a withdrawal and Lebanese security officials' lack of confirmation - leave key details unresolved. The U.S. official's remarks also set out an expectation for the Lebanese Armed Forces to act to remove weapons and infrastructure, but the State Department did not specify any timeline or operational details.
With talks underway in Washington between Israeli and Lebanese representatives facilitated by the United States, the announcement, the denial, and the lack of geographic specifics maintain uncertainty about conditions on the ground in the southern border area.
Summary
A U.S. State Department official said Israel has withdrawn from part of a buffer zone in southern Lebanon and urged the Lebanese Armed Forces to enter and clear the area. A senior Lebanese security official said they were not aware of any withdrawal. The State Department did not specify the extent or locations of the reported pullback. Talks between Israel and Lebanon are being held in Washington under U.S. mediation.