Israel has reportedly asked the United States for an additional 30 days to complete the withdrawal of its troops from southern Lebanon, according to Israeli media reports as well as Bloomberg. This request comes just days before the January 26 deadline stipulated in the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

Under the terms of the truce agreement signed on November 27, the Israeli army was required to transfer all positions in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army within 60 days. However, Israeli assessments indicate that slow deployment by the Lebanese military has hampered the planned withdrawal process.

The daily newspaper Haaretz, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that the United States and France are now discussing the extension request with Israeli and Lebanese officials. One source indicated that France is open to granting the extension, provided all parties involved agree to the adjustment. However, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly less inclined to approve the 30-day reprieve, expressing a preference for adhering to the original deadline.

Despite the U.S. administration’s stance, Israel’s outgoing ambassador to Washington, Michael Herzog, voiced optimism in an interview with Israelui Army Radio, stating that he expects Jerusalem and Washington to "reach an understanding" and that the extension will likely be approved.

"The incoming administration understands our needs and our position on security, and I believe we will reach an agreement on this issue."

Herzog claimed that "the 60-day timeline is not set in stone and was formulated with some flexibility".

Bloomberg also cited French officials and a source with knowledge of the discussions in Lebanon as saying that the ceasefire will be extended to provide additional time for Lebanese troops to deploy and for Hezbollah to retreat to areas north of the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers from the border.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army continues its operations in southern Lebanon, locating and dismantling weapons and infrastructure linked to Hezbollah. The military announced that soldiers from the 7th Armored Brigade have uncovered Russian-made anti-tank missiles, grenades, and assault rifles. In a joint operation with the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, the Israeli army also discovered several tunnels used by Hezbollah for storing weapons. The seized armaments were confiscated, and the tunnels were destroyed, the Israeli military reported.

Despite ongoing operations, the Israeli army emphasized that its current deployment in parts of southern Lebanon remains in line with the ceasefire agreement.