Lebanon army deploys on border, ready to counter Israel

Oct 02 4:43 AM US/Eastern

The Lebanese army will confront any new Israeli "aggressions", Army Commander Brigadier General Michel Sleiman has warned as the military deployed along the southern borders for the first time in almost 40 years.
"I call on you to confront any Israeli aggressions and violations," Sleiman told conscripts during a ceremony in which the Lebanese flag was hoisted on a hilltop in the border village of Labbouneh for the first time since 1970.

The army deployment comes a day after Israel's near-complete withdrawal of several hundred soldiers who had remained in south Lebanon after the August 14 UN-brokered ceasefire that put an end to a 34-day war against Hezbollah.

The "deployment in the south will help the military to carry out its duties in terms of defense, security and development, with the help of the UN forces," the army chief said.

The deployment "to monitor the southern borders and the maritime and territorial borders is meant to prevent aggressions as well as the smuggling of weapons and other prohibited items," he added.

UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which put an end to the war, called for Israel's complete pullout from Lebanon in tandem with the deployment of Lebanese army troops and additional UN peacekeepers, as well as the disarming of all militias.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed the Israeli pullout after conducting patrols in the area but said Israeli troops remained in the Ghajar border zone in the east.

The Israeli army said that it will keep troops on the Lebanese side of the village of Ghajar until security arrangements in the divided town are agreed with UN and Lebanese forces.

While the Shiite militia Hezbollah has agreed to abide by the August 14 ceasefire, it has resolutely refused to lay down its arms until it is satisfied Israel has ended its occupation of Lebanese territory.