BEIRUT 

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Thursday that Beirut rejects Israel’s plan to remain in five locations in southern Lebanon after the Feb. 18 deadline for its troop withdrawal. 

Speaking to reporters in Beirut, Berri said that he was informed by the US that Israel plans to remain in five points after the deadline expires. 

Berri’s comments came after a meeting with US General Jasper Jeffers, the head of a committee overseeing the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, in the presence of US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson.  

"The Americans informed me that Israeli forces will withdraw on Feb. 18 from the villages still occupied in southern Lebanon, but will remain in five points,” Berri said.  

“I told them, on behalf of myself, President Joseph Aoun, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, that we categorically reject this,” he stressed.   

The Lebanese speaker said that he refused to discuss any extension of the deadline for the Israeli troop withdrawal.  

“It is the responsibility of the Americans to enforce this; otherwise, they will have caused the greatest setback for the current Lebanese government," he warned. 

"If the (Israeli) occupation remains, the days will be between us, and this is the responsibility of the Lebanese state. The army is fully carrying out its duties south of the Litani River."  

On Wednesday, the Israeli army said that it was planning to remain in southern Lebanon beyond the Feb. 18 deadline.  

A fragile ceasefire has been in place since Nov. 27, ending months of mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah that escalated into a full-scale conflict last September. 

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply.  

Lebanon has reported over 900 Israeli ceasefire violations, killing 73 and injuring 265 others, since Nov. 27.  

Israel’s military operations in Lebanon have killed 4,104 people and injured 16,890, including women and children, while displacing around 1.4 million people since October 2023.