BEIRUT (REUTERS) – The head of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said on Sunday that Israeli troops should withdraw from the Lebanese territory completely through a deadline of 18 February and said that it had “no pretext” to preserve a military presence in A post in South -Libanon.
Under a file mediated by Washington in November, Israeli troops were given 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where they had led a ground offensive against hunters of Hezbollah supported by Iran since the beginning of October.
That Deadline was later expanded to 18 February, but the army of Israel asked to keep troops in five posts in South Libanon, sources told Reuters last week.
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In a recorded speech on television, Hezbollah -Secretary -General Naim Qassem said: “Israel has to withdraw completely on February 18, it has no pretext, no five points or other details … This is the agreement.”
Qassem said that every Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil would be considered an occupation power after 18 February.
“Everyone knows how a profession is being tackled,” said Qassem, without explicitly threatening that his group would resume attacks against Israel.
Israel's public broadcaster said on Wednesday that the US had authorized a “long -term” Israeli junk in South Libanon.
During the broadcast of Qassem's speech, at least three Israeli air strikes found in Lebanon's East Bekaa -Valley. Israel's army said it had performed strikes after identifying Hezbollah activity at locations with rocket throwers and other weapons.
Qassem also called on the Lebanese government to reconsider its ban on Iranian flights in Beirut.
The Lebanese authorities prohibited the flights from landing until 18 February after Israeli allegations that Tehran used civil aircraft to smuggle cash to Beirut to arm Hezbollah.
The decision made 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 his own planes to pick them up, but Iran forbade them to land in Tehran.
Hezbollah organized a protest outside the Beirut airport on Saturday, where the supporters were torn by Lebanese troops.
Qassem described the ban of Lebanon 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 Beily; Edit by Jan Harvey)
