Israel Orders Military to Pull Back in Lebanon as Ceasefire Holds Fragile

Israeli leadership has issued a formal directive limiting military operations inside Lebanon, even as cross-border incidents continue to test a shaky truce.

Israel has formally directed its military to scale back operations in Lebanon.
Tensions between Israeli forces and Lebanese factions remain elevated despite the order.
The directive follows months of cross-border exchanges since a November 2024 ceasefire agreement.
The restraint order runs parallel to diplomatic contacts reported in Switzerland.
No timeline for a permanent arrangement has been announced by either side.

Israel has issued a formal directive ordering its military to limit operations inside Lebanon, even as hostilities along the border continue to simmer, the Wail confirmed Saturday.

The order marks a deliberate attempt by Israeli leadership to cap the scope of its engagement in Lebanese territory, stopping short of a full withdrawal from positions held since fighting intensified in late 2024.

Cross-border incidents have persisted since a ceasefire brokered in November 2024, with both sides trading accusations of violations. The Israeli directive does not constitute a new ceasefire and does not resolve the underlying dispute over armed groups operating in southern Lebanon.

The move comes as separate diplomatic contacts are under way in Switzerland, where negotiators have been discussing a longer-term framework for stabilising the border. Neither side has confirmed a timetable for those talks to produce binding terms.

Israeli officials have not publicly characterised the directive as a concession. Lebanese officials have not responded formally as of Saturday afternoon.

The next round of diplomatic contacts is expected in the coming week, sources told the Wail.