Will the IDF actually  withdraw from Lebanon? Here's what we know

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has requested to maintain several strategic positions in southern Lebanon until February 28, extending their presence 10 days beyond the previously agreed withdrawal deadline, according to Lebanese television channel LBCI. Lebanese officials have reportedly rejected this request firmly.

The situation remains delicate as the current withdrawal deadline of February 18 approaches. A Western diplomatic source in Beirut revealed to Kan News that a critical meeting is scheduled for Friday at the United Nations headquarters in Ras al-Naqoura. This meeting of the international supervision committee, which oversees the ceasefire implementation between Israel and Lebanon, will specifically address the withdrawal deadline and Israel's request for extension.

At the center of current negotiations are five specific IDF positions near the Blue Line - the border demarcation between Israel and Lebanon - where Israeli forces wish to maintain their presence beyond the February 18 deadline. This would mark the second extension to Israel's declared withdrawal timeline.

Meanwhile, the IDF has issued urgent safety warnings to Lebanese civilians through their Arabic-language spokesperson, Colonel Avichay Adraee. The military has explicitly cautioned against any civilian movement toward southern Lebanon while operations continue in the region. "The IDF has no intention of harming civilians," Adraee stated, adding that "residents must not return to their homes until explicitly notified." The implementation period of an unspecified agreement has been extended, during which the IDF maintains its presence in the area.

The military emphasized that any southward movement during this period would pose significant safety risks to civilians, reinforcing existing restrictions on civilian movement in southern Lebanon amid ongoing regional tensions.