The Test of The Israeli-Hezbollah Ceasefire: Areas South of The Litani Where the IDF Did not Maneuver

On January 26, the 60-day mark will be reached since the signing of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, yet its full implementation remains uncertain.

The agreement mandates that only the Lebanese security forces and the Lebanese army can carry weapons or operate their forces in southern Lebanon. In addition, they must take action to dismantle all the weapons and terrorist infrastructure that Hezbollah has established in the area south of the Litani. The most significant test of the agreement will be the Lebanese army’s activity in areas south of the Litani, where the IDF did not maneuver on the ground and where a large number of weapons and Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure remain unaddressed.

The IDF’s limited ground maneuver in southern Lebanon exposed us to the enormous weapons stockpiles Hezbollah has accumulated over the years, along with terrorist infrastructures aimed at executing its plan to invade and massacre the residents of northern Israel. An IDF weapons exhibition showcased some of these massive weapons stockpiles, which Israel had seized during the ground maneuver in Lebanon. – see our article on the subject.

According to data from the IDF Spokesperson’s Office, during the ground maneuver, the IDF seized about 6,840 RPG and anti-tank launchers (including rockets and missiles), 9,000 IEDs, 2,700 weapons and assault rifles, 300 observation devices, 60 anti-aircraft missiles, 20 vehicles, about 2,000 shells and rockets, and tens of thousands of other means of communication, computers, and technical systems.

This enormous number of weapons was seized in limited and specific areas that the IDF reached in the ground maneuver. However, large areas south of the Litani River remained outside the IDF’s range of ground operations, and there are still extensive terrorist infrastructures and significant Hezbollah weapons stockpiles in these places.

Dismantling these infrastructures, as part of the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, requires an intensive effort on the part of the Lebanese army, which at this stage does not show a high level of capability and motivation to act against Hezbollah. Moreover, the Lebanese army has already failed to fulfill its mission under Resolution 1701, under which Hezbollah has succeeded in establishing these terrorist infrastructures without any effective interference or resistance from the Lebanese army.

Although the IDF is not physically present in most areas south of the Litani River, especially following its withdrawal from several villages over the past month, it continues to operate in these areas through targeted airstrikes. These strikes are aimed at disrupting terrorist infrastructure and targeting Hezbollah terrorists while adhering to the terms of the ceasefire.

Prominent examples of this were recorded during January 2025: on January 2, the IDF carried out an airstrike in Nabatiyeh targeting rocket launchers. The strike was carried out after the IDF alerted the Lebanese Army about their presence and requested their neutralization, but no action was taken. On January 10 and 11, Hezbollah operatives loaded weapons into a vehicle in Tir Daba and Kounine. On January 12, the IDF attacked rocket launcher sites and another military site in the Nabatiyeh region.

These actions illustrate the continued struggle against Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure, even in areas that remain outside the deployment and presence of IDF forces in southern Lebanon.

Neutralizing Hezbollah’s weapons stockpiles and terrorist infrastructure in the areas south of the Litani River is not only mandatory under the ceasefire agreement but also constitutes a central test that will attest to the seriousness of the implementation and the ability to maintain regional stability.

These areas, where the IDF was not physically present and did not maneuver on the ground, remain fertile ground for Hezbollah’s terrorist activity. The Lebanese army is now responsible for handling these infrastructures, dismantling them, and preventing the rehabilitation and strengthening of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.

Picture of Dana Polak

Dana Polak

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