According to the report in Lebanese media, Israel has received approval from US officials to remain in key parts of southern Lebanon to prevent the re-establishment of Hezbollah

It is the second such pullout since a Nov 27 ceasefire, and came after United Nations peacekeepers and Lebanon’s prime minister late last month called on the Israeli army to speed up its withdrawal from Lebanon’s south.

Hochstein confirmed that Israeli troops have started pulling back from Naqoura, a town near the U.N.-demarcated Blue Line, and returning to Israeli territory. He emphasized that the withdrawals would continue until all Israeli forces leave Lebanon, while the Lebanese Army takes over security responsibilities in coordination with U.N. peacekeepers.

Efforts could stave off premature withdrawal and unnecessary return to fighting. Soldier wounded in northern Gaza.

The Biden administration in its final days is shifting more than $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon as it tries to bolster a ceasefire agreement it helped mediate between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon is geared to select a new president this week as the army has made significant strides in taking over for IDF troops deployed in southern Lebanon

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to pull their forces out of southern Lebanon before the end of January. The area will then be secured by the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers, as part of the agreed conditions of the ceasefire.

An Israeli official told The Post that plans for the withdrawal of the IDF “don’t change the fact that after the ceasefire terminates, Israeli forces will need to remain in southern Lebanon.”

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein has told Lebanon that the United States has not received any message from Israel about an intention to keep Israeli forces in south Lebanon beyond January 27, informed sources said.

Israeli troops withdrew from the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura on Monday, amid growing accusations from both sides of major violations of the Israel, Hezbollah ceasefire.

IDF kills PIJ commander • IDF strikes 100 Hamas targets • Brazil investigating IDF soldier over 'war crimes' • First recruits enlist in new IDF haredi combat brigade