Israeli withdrawal delayed as Trump resumes heavy bomb deliveries

Israeli forces are set to miss the Sunday deadline for a complete withdrawal from southern Lebanon, two months after a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah ended a deadly conflict. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced the resumption of military shipments to Israel that had been delayed under Joe Biden's administration, raising new concerns over the region's stability.

Israel poised to miss deadline for Lebanon pullout

According to the AFP, the Israeli military is all but certain to miss a Sunday deadline to withdraw from southern Lebanon under a ceasefire deal that ended its war with Hezbollah two months ago.

Under the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire that took effect on November 27, the Lebanese army is to deploy alongside United Nations peacekeepers in the south as the Israeli army withdraws over a 60-day period that ends on Sunday.

On Saturday, the Lebanese army said a delay in implementing the agreement was the "result of the procrastination in the withdrawal from the Israeli enemy's side".

Israeli forces have left coastal areas of southern Lebanon, but are still present in areas further east.

The deal stipulates that Hezbollah pull back its forces north of the Litani River -- about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border -- and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Friday that "the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese state" and so the military's withdrawal would continue beyond the Sunday deadline.

"The withdrawal process is conditional upon the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, with Hezbollah withdrawing beyond the Litani River," a statement from Netanyahu's office said.

It added that "the gradual withdrawal process will continue in full coordination with the United States", a key ally and one of the monitors of the ceasefire.

The Lebanese army said it was "ready to continue its deployment as soon as the Israeli enemy withdraws".

Trump suggests US releasing 2,000-pound bombs to Israel

On the other hand, Donald Trump said Saturday that a "lot of things" ordered by Israel were now being delivered, following a report that the US president had released a hold on the provision of 2,000-pound bombs.

"A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel, but have not been sent by Biden, are now on their way!" Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Former president Joe Biden's administration last year halted shipments of 2,000-pound bombs when it appeared Israel was poised to launch a major ground operation in heavily populated areas of Gaza, a move that Washington opposed.

Biden had warned that use of the munitions in such areas would cause "great human tragedy and damage."

Days before Biden left the White House, Israel and Hamas reached a tentative truce aimed at bringing a permanent end to the war in Gaza, which began with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The truce was holding, with Israel and Hamas exchanging a second group of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners over the weekend.

Trump's post did not mention any specific weapons being sent to Israel.

But writing in Axios, prominent Israeli national security journalist Barak Ravid said Trump had ordered the Defense Department to release the hold Biden had placed on the 2,000-pound bombs.

During his first presidential term, Trump repeatedly boasted that Israel "never had a better friend in the White House," a sentiment often echoed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But the Trump-Netanyahu relationship soured for a time after the Israeli leader called Biden to congratulate him on his 2020 election win.

Trump, who falsely claimed to have won the 2020 election, accused Netanyahu of disloyalty, according to multiple media reports at the time.