Israel withdrew its last soldiers from Lebanon early Sunday, the Israeli army announced. Only a few dozen infantry troops had remained in South Lebanon in recent days, manning positions close to the border in the central and eastern regions.
Sources in the Israeli army have recently said they were satisfied with the deployment of the soldiers of the Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The two forces have been spotted recently in areas close to the border.
According to Haaretz, the Israeli pullout was delayed for the past two weeks because of disputes between the Israeli side and UNIFIL regarding the rules of engagement as they apply to armed Hizbullah members.
The only place the Israeli army will remain in Lebanon is in the divided village of Ghajar, where agreement on security arrangements has not yet been reached. According to Israeli sources, Israel wants to conclude the issue in the coming days and evacuate the area.
