The Israeli government announced Friday that its troops will not fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Sunday despite the deadline set in the Nov. 27 deal with Hezbollah.

Under the agreement, both Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces were to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese army expected to take control of areas previously held by Hezbollah and Israel's troops to fully exit within 60 days. Israel attributes the delay to concerns that the Lebanese army has not yet fully secured the region or dismantled Hezbollah's infrastructure.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office emphasized that Israel’s withdrawal depends on the Lebanese army's deployment in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah's retreat north of the Litani River. It read, “Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese government, the phased withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States.”

There was no immediate response from the Lebanese government or Hezbollah. However, on Thursday, Hezbollah issued a statement condemning any delay in the 60-day withdrawal, calling it "a blatant violation of the agreement and an ongoing infringement of Lebanese sovereignty."