Netanyahu says Israel could withdraw from Lebanon if Hezbollah is disarmed

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By: AP Jerusalem | August 25, 2025 01:54 PM IST 1 min readSince the Israel-Hezbollah war ended in November with a US-brokered ceasefire, Hezbollah officials have said they won’t disarm until Israel leaves occupied hills and halts near-daily strikes. (File photo)Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he welcomed the Lebanese cabinet’s “momentous decision” earlier this month to work towards the disarmament of Hezbollah by the end of 2025 and it could lead to Israel’s troops withdrawing from the country.He said that if Lebanon takes the necessary steps to disarm Hezbollah, then Israel will respond with reciprocal measures, including a phased reduction of the Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon.Since the Israel-Hezbollah war ended in November with a US-brokered ceasefire, Hezbollah officials have said the group will not discuss its disarmament until Israel withdraws from five hills it controls inside Lebanon and stops almost daily airstrikes that have killed or wounded hundreds of people, most of them Hezbollah members.Beirut is under US pressure to disarm the group that recently fought a 14-month war with Israel and was left gravely weakened, with many of its political and military leaders dead.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram