Does the Lebanese Army want to enforce the ceasefire between Hezbollah? Can it?

The Lebanese Army, which is supposed to enforce the demilitarization of southern Lebanon, may not be able to truly play its role due to a range of internal and external challenges, according to Kann reporter Roi Kais.

In terms of external challenges, the Lebanese Army is short on manpower to enforce the ceasefire. The Army was supposed to have over 6,000 soldiers to spread throughout southern Lebanon, but the effective number is significantly lower than that.

Furthermore, the Lebanese Army has had to deploy significant forces to its northern border with Syria to prevent a flood of refugees from the turmoil there and to prevent the infiltration of terrorists and those with terrorist ties.

The Lebanese Army is reportedly divided on the question of how seriously to enforce the ceasefire. While the senior leadership does want to do so, many junior officers and soldiers with ties to Hezbollah either don't want to enforce the agreement or even seek to work with Hezbollah to undermine it.

Earlier today (Sunday), Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that this state of affairs endangers the ceasefire agreement, and that if the Lebanese Army does not seriously enforce the agreement and Hezbollah does not withdraw entirely behind the Litani, Israel may restart the war in the north.