The ceasefire in Lebanon is a throwback to 2006, when the national Lebanese army was supposed to defang Hezbollah and chart a new course for the land

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said Monday that Israel should withdraw from the occupied border areas in southern Lebanon, rejecting the extension of the cease-fire arrangements to Feb. 18.

The ceasefire, brokered with US support, required Israel to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon within 60 days of signing. That deadline has passed, with Israeli officials citing ongoing operations to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons caches and infrastructure.

Israel and Hamas reached a deal to resolve a disagreement over the exchange of a female civilian hostage that had threatened to derail the truce. Lebanon, however, saw the deadliest day since Israel’s truce with Hezbollah took effect.

The White House said Sunday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend the deadline for Israeli troops to depart southern Lebanon until Feb. 18, after Israel requested more time to withdraw

The Lebanese army on Saturday said it was ready to deploy its forces in the country's south, accusing Israel of "procrastination" in its withdrawal in time for a deadline the following day.

The Israeli military also moved into dozens of new positions across southern Lebanon in the first 40 days of the ceasefire.

France’s president began a visit to Lebanon Friday, where he will meet the crisis-hit country’s newly elected leaders, as the nation attempts to recover from the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war

The warning came a day after Israel said its forces would remain in south Lebanon beyond a Sunday deadline for their departure.

Israeli officials have said Lebanese troops are not deploying fast enough in the areas Israeli troops are supposed to vacate.

Isabel Kershner Christina Goldbaum and Euan Ward Isabel Kershner reported from Jerusalem, Christina Goldbaum from Damascus, Syria, and Euan Ward from Beirut, Lebanon. Israel and Hamas reached an ...