Israeli Army Prepares to Withdraw from Two Trial Areas in South Lebanon on Sunday

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported on Saturday, citing sources, that the Israeli army is preparing to withdraw from two trial areas in southern Lebanon on Sunday.

The sources specified that the army will first pull out from the villages of Zouq al-West and Froun, which are considered trial zones in southern Lebanon.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, quoting a security source, stated that Israel is preparing for a possible escalation on the northern front following the preliminary agreement reached between Israel and Lebanon under US auspices.

The source added that Israel expects Hezbollah to respond within a few days to the framework agreement with Lebanon by launching attacks on the Israeli army, prompting the defense establishment to prepare for potential escalation on the northern front.

The source confirmed the assessment that "Hezbollah will not remain idle," noting that Israel does not impose any restrictions on its freedom of movement.

According to the newspaper, the source said, "If an attack is launched, we will eliminate the threats and respond. We are also prepared for escalation."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Saturday that the framework agreement with Lebanon represented "a major blow to Iran and its axis," adding that the Israeli army's withdrawal from the "security zones" in southern Lebanon is contingent on the disarmament of Hezbollah.

He added that the Israeli army has destroyed nearly 90 percent of Hezbollah's missile capabilities, affirming that Israel will continue to dismantle the group's infrastructure and that "there is much left to be done," emphasizing that Israel will enforce calm along the Lebanese border.

Netanyahu said that the United States and Lebanon agreed on the Israeli army's presence in the "security zone" in southern Lebanon, confirming "the freedom of movement and operation of the Israeli army to confront any threat" in the south.

He also mentioned that Israel has "other upcoming agreements with Lebanon," praising the Lebanese government's "courage in the agreement," and asserting that Israel "will confront Hezbollah's attempts to undermine its agreement with Lebanon."

He pointed out that the Israeli army will withdraw from the "trial zones," starting with the villages of Froun and Zouq al-West in southern Lebanon.

Regarding regional matters, Netanyahu said that Iran "is no longer as strong as before," and considered that Hezbollah "did not receive the support promised by Tehran."

Concerning the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu stated that Israel "has approached control over 70 percent of Gaza's territory."

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz described the framework agreement with Lebanon as "a historic event and an important political and security achievement for the State of Israel."

Katz announced that he and Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the Israeli army to prepare for a prolonged presence in the security zone in Lebanon.

He added that the directives include preparations to protect Israeli soldiers and to eliminate threats from "northern communities," noting that the fundamental principle of the agreement is that Israeli forces will not redeploy in southern Lebanon or withdraw as long as Hezbollah remains armed throughout Lebanon. He said the challenge will be in implementing the agreement, and many other challenges are expected to arise.