Hezbollah chief says Israel must fully withdraw from Lebanon by February 18

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BEIRUT (Reuters) – The head of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said on Sunday that Israeli troops must withdraw from Lebanese territory in full by a February 18 deadline, saying it had “no pretext” to maintain a military presence in any post in southern Lebanon.

Under a truce brokered by Washington in November, Israeli troops were granted 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon where they had waged a ground offensive against fighters from Iran-backed Hezbollah since early October.

That deadline was later extended to February 18, but Israel’s military requested that it keep troops in five posts in southern Lebanon, sources told Reuters last week.

In a recorded televised speech, Hezbollah secretary general Naim Qassem said: “Israel must withdraw completely on Feb. 18, it has no pretext, no five points or other details… this is the agreement.”

Qassem said any Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil after February 18 would be considered an occupying force.

“Everyone knows how an occupation is dealt with,” Qassem said, without explicitly threatening that his group would resume attacks against Israel.

Israel’s public broadcaster said on Wednesday the U.S. had authorised a “long term” Israeli troop presence in southern Lebanon.

During the broadcast of Qassem’s speech, at least three Israeli air strikes hit Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Israel’s military said it conducted strikes after identifying Hezbollah activity at sites containing rocket launchers and other weapons.

Qassem also called on the Lebanese government to reconsider its ban on Iranian flights landing in Beirut.

Lebanese authorities banned the flights from landing until February 18 following Israeli accusations that Tehran was using civilian aircraft to smuggle cash to Beirut to arm Hezbollah.

The decision stranded dozens of Lebanese nationals in Iran, where they had been on a religious pilgrimage with plans to return via Iran’s Mahan Air. Lebanon sent two of its own planes to retrieve them, but Iran barred them from landing in Tehran.

Hezbollah organised a protest outside Beirut airport on Saturday, where its supporters were tear gassed by Lebanese troops.

Qassem described Lebanon’s ban on Iranian planes as “the implementation of an Israeli order”.

“Let the plane land and we will see what Israel will do,” he said.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Jan Harvey)