BEIRUT(RAHNUMA): Lebanon has made the return of displaced residents to their border villages a prerequisite for further discussions in ceasefire mechanism talks with Israel, Arab News has learned.
President Joseph Aoun instructed Lebanon’s civilian representative, former ambassador Simon Karam, to raise the return of civilians to their homes and lands in southern Lebanon as a top priority during Friday’s meeting of the Military Technical Committee in Naqoura.
The talks, attended by Lebanese and Israeli military and civilian representatives, are part of a UN-backed mechanism responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire.
According to the US Embassy in Beirut, the civilian participants, who attended the 15th MTC meeting, focused on “setting conditions for residents to return safely to their homes, advancing reconstruction, and addressing economic priorities.”
While Karam raised the issue of safe civilian return during the meeting, no official response was issued by the Israeli delegation. However, an official source told Arab News that the atmosphere was “positive,” and no objections were recorded.
All parties agreed that “a strengthened Lebanese Armed Force, the guarantors of security in the South Litani Sector, is critical to success,” according to a statement from the US Embassy in Beirut.
In parallel, the military participants presented operational updates and focused on “deepening the cooperation by finding ways to increase coordination through the mechanism,” according to the embassy’s statement.
The Lebanese army is scheduled to complete the disarmament south of the Litani River by the end of this month, according to the set plan, and will begin the next phases north of the river at the start of the new year.
The official source told Arab News that the Lebanese army will not seek an extension beyond the end of this month to place all weapons south of the Litani River under its control.
The source added that the army will present progress at Monday’s Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace.
“Hezbollah is not expected to comment on the handover of its weapons south of the Litani River, having agreed to the army’s plan. The responsibility now lies entirely with the official military institution,” the official source said.
The Lebanese army organized a tour for Arab and foreign ambassadors south of the Litani River last week after Israeli skepticism regarding the Lebanese army’s slow progress in implementing its mission.
The diplomatic delegation visited a Hezbollah facility that the Lebanese army had seized as part of its verification process. The visit aimed to ensure that the area was cleared of Hezbollah military infrastructure and to confirm that it was now under the army’s full control, except for positions occupied by the Israeli military.
The US Embassy in Beirut said the mechanism committee aimed to advance coordinated efforts toward stability and a lasting cessation of hostilities.
During the meeting, all participants reaffirmed that progress on the “security and political tracks” are “essential to ensuring long-term stability and prosperity” for Israel and Lebanon, with the next round of meetings to be held in 2026.
French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian, who had planned to travel to Lebanon for the mechanism committee meeting on Friday, decided to postpone his participation to a session scheduled for Jan. 7. US envoy Morgan Ortagus will also attend, according to media reports.
A four-party meeting was held in Paris on Thursday, bringing together representatives of France, the US, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon.
The meeting reviewed the work of the mechanism committee and explored ways to expand its scope following the inclusion of civilian representatives —Karam for Lebanon and Uri Resnik for Israel.
Participants agreed to form a tripartite working group to prepare for a conference in February aimed at supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces, although the venue has yet to be announced.
A statement from the Elysee Palace said the US, Saudi, and French envoys to Lebanon met with Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, Lebanon’s army commander, who briefed them on the implementation of the “Homeland Shield” plan, aimed at placing all weapons under state control. The envoys voiced their support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and praised the sacrifices made by its personnel.
French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said that Gen. Haykal outlined the progress made on disarmament efforts and detailed the army’s needs to fulfill the mission.
In a significant development, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee revealed for the first time the fate of Imad Amhaz, a Lebanese sea captain abducted by an Israeli commando unit from the coast of Batroun nearly a year ago.
Adraee said the covert naval operation, carried out about 140 km from Israel’s northern border under the direction of the Israeli Navy’s Intelligence Division, targeted Amhaz due to his alleged role in Hezbollah’s maritime operations.
He described Amhaz as a key figure in the group’s “secret maritime file” and a member of Hezbollah’s coast-to-sea missile unit, known as Unit 7900.
According to the Israeli narrative, Amhaz received military training in Iran and Lebanon and had acquired significant maritime expertise intended for naval operations.
During interrogation in Israel, Amhaz allegedly confessed to holding a central role in Hezbollah’s covert maritime program and provided what Adraee described as “sensitive intelligence” about one of the group’s most classified projects — the establishment of a civilian-front infrastructure aimed at carrying out maritime attacks on Israeli and international targets.
Adraee claimed that Amhaz’s information, along with the targeted killing of other leaders linked to the file, had “crippled the project at a critical stage and prevented its advancement.”
The Israeli military also accused Iran of supplying strategic guidance and material support for the development of Hezbollah’s maritime capabilities, vowing to “continue operating on multiple fronts and through various means to eliminate threats against Israeli citizens.”
Adraee published a video clip allegedly showing Amhaz’s confessions and footage of the abduction operation.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held talks with senior Lebanese officials on Friday during a two-day official visit aimed at reinforcing bilateral ties and supporting Lebanon’s stability.
During a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Nawaf Salam, Madbouly reaffirmed Cairo’s support for the Lebanese government’s efforts to extend state authority across all national territory.
He commended the government’s efforts in consolidating internal stability, stating: “Egypt views Lebanon as a cornerstone of stability in the Middle East, and we are committed to helping keep it clear of any escalation.”
Madbouly emphasized that “a strong state is the source of legitimacy,” reiterating Egypt’s firm support for Lebanon in the face of ongoing challenges. He condemned continued Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty and the occupation of Lebanese territory, calling for “an immediate and unconditional withdrawal from all Lebanese land.”
He also underlined the need for full, impartial implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and respect for the Nov. 27 ceasefire agreement.
