The Hezbollah chief on Feb.16 put the ball in the court of the Lebanese government to ensure that Israeli forces withdraw from its territory by the truce deadline. “Israel must fully withdraw on Feb. 18, it has no excuse,” Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem said in a televised address. A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024. Under the deal, Lebanon’s military was to deploy in the south alongside UN peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period that was later extended to Feb. 18. Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Meanwhile, reports said that Israeli forces on Feb. 16 opened fire towards the southern border town of Hula “after residents entered”, killing a woman, reported National News Agency. The Israeli military acknowledged it conducted air strikes in Lebanon on Feb. 16 ‘targeting Hezbollah military sites storing weapons.’ n18oc_world n18oc_crux0:00 INTRODUCTION3:08 ISRAEL LAUNCHES ‘DEADLY’ ATTACK ON LEBANON AMID CEASEFIRE4:12 LEBANON SUSPENDS IRANIAN FLIGHTS