Northern Border Restrictions Lifted as Tensions Continue; Hezbollah Says, "No Ceasefire With Freedom of Action for the IDF"

Israel’s Home Front Command announced this evening (Sunday) that beginning tomorrow, Monday, at 6 a.m., there will be a change in its defensive policy. Following a situational assessment, it was decided to remove restrictions from the confrontation line guidance area and the communities of Sifsufa, Meron, Or HaGanuz, Bar Yochai, Yesud HaMa'ala, Kisra-Sumei, Beit Jan, and Sde Eliezer. They will move to a full activity level without restrictions, instead of the current partial activity level.

At the same time, "the public must continue to follow Home Front Command instructions. If there are any changes in the defensive policy, the public will be updated through the official platforms of the Home Front Command and the IDF Spokesperson."

According to reports this evening in several media outlets, meetings between representatives of Israel and Lebanon will take place in the U.S. this week. They are expected to discuss areas where a pilot program for the deployment of Lebanese army forces has begun, and these are supposed to be areas between the Litani and the 'Yellow Line.' An Israeli source familiar with the matter says that the IDF will not withdraw from the Yellow Line, but may withdraw from areas captured recently.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem addressed the issue this evening: "There is no such thing as a ceasefire with freedom of action for Israel — every violation will be met with fire. The U.S. must restrain Israel. It is completely clear that the rounds of direct negotiations, for which the Lebanese delegation was sent to Washington, are intended to nod in agreement and sign as a rubber stamp on what the American administration dictates, while harming Lebanon’s sovereignty and moving it into the camp of those making peace with Israel and with the Zionist entity."

"Iran emerged stronger, despite the heavy and enormous sacrifices it made, and proved that it does not give up its rights and that it has influence and standing in the region. A ceasefire that grants Israel freedom of action is in fact a continuation of the aggression, and we will not accept this. A ceasefire means stopping the aggression completely — in the air, on land, and at sea — stopping the destruction and not reinforcing or concentrating forces in the occupied areas. To the Lebanese government: take advantage of what the resistance and Iran are doing for you."

Qassem added: "If U.S. President Donald Trump decides to impose his position on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he will obey against his will and will not dare oppose the American position. Only a fool thinks Trump is incapable of stopping Israel. I am convinced that Israel will collapse from within, and will not remain on Lebanese soil. No positive outcome at all should be expected from these compromising negotiations, because their point of departure is flawed and suspicious, and their goal is surrender and acceptance of dictates. We in Hezbollah once again condemn the policy of direct negotiations with Israel, these rounds of talks, and their results."