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Lebanese Army Blames Israel for Delay in Deploying Troops in Southern Lebanon

Smoke rises from the site of controlled explosions during demolition activities undertaken by the Israeli army in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila on January 24, 2025. (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of controlled explosions during demolition activities undertaken by the Israeli army in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila on January 24, 2025. (AFP)
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Lebanese Army Blames Israel for Delay in Deploying Troops in Southern Lebanon

Smoke rises from the site of controlled explosions during demolition activities undertaken by the Israeli army in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila on January 24, 2025. (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of controlled explosions during demolition activities undertaken by the Israeli army in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila on January 24, 2025. (AFP)

Lebanon's army accused Israel of procrastinating in withdrawing troops from south Lebanon as required under a ceasefire that ended the war with Hezbollah, a day after Israel said its forces would remain beyond a Sunday deadline for their departure.

The Lebanese army, in a statement issued on Saturday, also urged Lebanese residents to wait before heading into the border region, citing the presence of mines and unexploded Israeli ordnance.

Under the US-brokered agreement, which took effect on Nov. 27, Hezbollah weapons and fighters must be removed from areas south of the Litani River and Israeli troops should withdraw as the Lebanese military deploys into the region, all within a 60-day time frame, meaning by Sunday at 4 a.m. (0200 GMT).

Israel's military confirmed on Saturday that it won't complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday.

In a statement, it said the agreement is progressing but in some sectors, “it has been delayed and will take slightly longer.”

It added that the withdrawal process will continue “in the near future,” but said that displaced residents from towns in southern Lebanon should not return.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Friday the terms had not been fully enforced by the Lebanese state. The White House said a short, temporary ceasefire extension was urgently needed.

The US-backed Lebanese army said it had continued to implement the plan to strengthen its deployment south of the Litani River since the ceasefire came into effect.

"Delays occurred in a number of the phases as a result of procrastination in the withdrawal by the Israeli enemy, which complicated the mission of the army's deployment," the statement said. The army "maintains its readiness to complete its deployment as soon as the Israeli enemy withdraws", it added.

The ceasefire ended more than a year of hostilities which were triggered by the Gaza war and peaked in a major Israeli offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which uprooted more than a million people in Lebanon.

The Israeli government has not said how much longer its forces might remain in south Lebanon, where the Israeli military says it has been seizing Hezbollah weapons and dismantling infrastructure used by the armed group.

Hezbollah, which suffered major blows in the war, said on Thursday that any delay of Israel's withdrawal would be an unacceptable breach of the deal and put the onus on the Lebanese state to act. Hezbollah said the state would have to deal with such a violation "through all means and methods guaranteed by international charters".

Israel said its campaign against Hezbollah aimed to secure the return home of tens of thousands of people forced by Hezbollah rocket fire to leave their homes in northern Israel.

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Arab World

Yemen’s Workers Face Harsh Unemployment and Unrelenting Hardship

A person (L) buys snacks from a mobile cart in Sanaa, Yemen, 27 April 2026. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB
A person (L) buys snacks from a mobile cart in Sanaa, Yemen, 27 April 2026. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB
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Yemen’s Workers Face Harsh Unemployment and Unrelenting Hardship

A person (L) buys snacks from a mobile cart in Sanaa, Yemen, 27 April 2026. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB
A person (L) buys snacks from a mobile cart in Sanaa, Yemen, 27 April 2026. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB

As the world marks International Workers’ Day on May 1 each year, workers in Yemen have, for years following the Houthi coup and ensuing war, faced a starkly different reality marked by daily hardship and a struggle for survival amid economic and humanitarian conditions among the worst globally.

Workers in Sanaa and other cities told Asharq Al-Awsat that the day is no longer an occasion to celebrate professional achievements or press for improved rights. Instead, it has become a moment to reflect on the scale of the challenges they face, from widespread unemployment to declining wages and the absence of social protection.

Some said their conditions, and those of their families, have continued to deteriorate for a twelfth consecutive year, as they struggle daily to secure basic needs amid rising prices, scarce job opportunities, and a lack of even minimal services. They noted that wages in remaining sectors such as construction, transport, and other freelance work no longer match the effort required or the cost of basic living.

As workers called on relevant authorities and international organizations to intervene to ease their suffering, sources within the labor union federation under Houthi control in Sanaa said the occasion comes this year as more than one million Yemeni public sector employees, supporting hundreds of thousands of families, continue to endure harsh conditions, alongside 8 million daily wage workers now living below the poverty line as a result of the coup and ongoing conflict.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Houthi group continues to deepen the suffering of millions of daily wage workers in areas under its control through policies of systematic corruption targeting what remains of the economic sector.

Struggle for Survival

“Mahmoud,” a construction worker in Sanaa, said: “We do not celebrate Workers’ Day like people in other countries. We live it as just another day of struggling to earn a living.” Mahmoud, a father of three, works long hours for meager pay that does not cover even his children’s basic needs. “We go out every day looking for work and may return with nothing. Life has become very harsh,” he said.

“Essam N.,” a pseudonym for a taxi driver, described his situation: “Fuel prices keep rising while our income is declining. I work long hours and still cannot cover expenses. Sometimes I think about leaving the job, but there is no alternative.”

He said he has worked in the profession for more than 10 years but has never experienced conditions as severe as those today.

Abdullah, 39, a street vendor in the Bab al-Yemen area of Sanaa, said: “We used to sell and earn reasonably well years ago, but now people can barely buy anything. Everyone is suffering, not just us.”

These accounts reflect a grim reality facing thousands of workers in Yemen, where daily hardship intersects with a lack of prospects amid a deepening crisis that has exhausted all, alongside ongoing calls to improve workers’ conditions and guarantee their basic rights.

Deep Crisis

Economic specialists say the crisis facing workers in Yemen is no longer a temporary reflection of war, but has become a deep structural crisis. They say the continued decline in economic activity, weak investment, and the division of financial institutions are all factors exacerbating unemployment and limiting the market’s ability to recover.

According to data from ESCWA, Yemen is classified among low-income countries with a fragile economy, directly affecting job creation and widening poverty.

Economists say the continuation of the war and the decline in economic activity have worsened workers’ suffering, with many projects halted, job opportunities shrinking, and unemployment rising, particularly among youth. They warn that the persistence of this situation could expand poverty and deepen reliance on the informal economy.

In parallel, unofficial estimates indicate unemployment rates have risen to unprecedented levels, especially among young people, with thousands finding themselves outside the labor market without real opportunities. With many productive and service sectors halted due to years of conflict, employment opportunities have sharply contracted, pushing many toward temporary or unstable work.

The World Bank said in its reports on Yemen that about one in six working-age individuals is unemployed. The outlook is bleaker for youth unemployment, which the International Labour Organization estimates exceeds 25 percent across the Arab region, and is expected to be higher in Yemen given the ongoing conflict and the contraction in economic activity.

Arab World

Israel Attacks Southern Lebanon after New Evacuation Warning

This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun shows smoke rising from the site of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, on May 3, 2026. I(Photo by AFP)
This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun shows smoke rising from the site of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, on May 3, 2026. I(Photo by AFP)
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Israel Attacks Southern Lebanon after New Evacuation Warning

This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun shows smoke rising from the site of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, on May 3, 2026. I(Photo by AFP)
This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun shows smoke rising from the site of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, on May 3, 2026. I(Photo by AFP)

Israel carried out heavy airstrikes in south Lebanon on Sunday after issuing new evacuation warnings for villages beyond the area it occupies, despite a truce with Lebanon intended to halt fighting with Hezbollah.

"For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages and towns by at least 1,000 meters into open areas," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X.

The warning covers more than 10 villages and towns including several in the district of Nabatieh, which lies north of the Litani River, south of which Israel has stationed troops.

Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir has threatened to strike Hezbollah "beyond the yellow line.”

"Any threat, anywhere, against our communities or our forces -- including beyond the yellow line and north of the Litani -- will be eliminated," he said during a visit to Israeli troops this week.

The Israeli military said Sunday it was conducting operations against Hezbollah following what it described ⁠as a violation of their April 17 ceasefire agreement, warning that anyone near Hezbollah fighters or facilities could be at risk.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency later reported a series of Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon, including on towns not mentioned in the evacuation warning.

Hezbollah, has kept up its drone and rocket attacks against Israeli troops in Lebanon and on northern Israel.

It has recently begun using cheap drones controlled by fiber-optic cable, making them largely immune to electronic jamming, to conduct daily attacks.

These drones have a range of several dozen kilometers, which puts Israeli troops in Lebanon and communities in northern Israel under threat.

Arab World

Iran-Linked Cells Accused of Exploiting Chaos in Syria

Motorcyclists pass destruction in the al-Qadam area on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in a area that was heavily bombed by forces loyal to former Syrian president Bashar Assad during the Syrian war. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Motorcyclists pass destruction in the al-Qadam area on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in a area that was heavily bombed by forces loyal to former Syrian president Bashar Assad during the Syrian war. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
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Iran-Linked Cells Accused of Exploiting Chaos in Syria

Motorcyclists pass destruction in the al-Qadam area on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in a area that was heavily bombed by forces loyal to former Syrian president Bashar Assad during the Syrian war. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Motorcyclists pass destruction in the al-Qadam area on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in a area that was heavily bombed by forces loyal to former Syrian president Bashar Assad during the Syrian war. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

The Syrian Interior Ministry has said the assassination of a Shiite cleric, seen as close to the government, marks a “dangerous escalation,” adding it is following with “great concern” what it described as “systematic” attempts in recent days to create instability, spread chaos, and undermine civil peace.

A source in Damascus said the cleric killed on Friday was considered a partner of the government in reshaping “the landscape of stability within the Shiite community” in Syria.

That role could have made him a target for cells linked to the “Iran axis,” which, according to circles close to the Syrian government, seek to exploit instability by recruiting local agents.

However, no official Syrian statement has confirmed this scenario, and the attack could also have been carried out by ISIS cells or other parties.

Farhan al-Mansour, imam at the Sayyida Zainab shrine south of Damascus, was killed in a car bomb on Friday, Syrian state television reported.

The Interior Ministry said the assassination fits into a “dangerous escalation” targeting religious and social figures in an attempt to incite sectarian strife.

In a statement issued late Friday, the Ministry said the “crime will not go unpunished,” adding that authorities have launched investigations to uncover the circumstances, identify those responsible, and take the necessary legal measures.

It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting citizens, preserving public security, and confronting any attempts to undermine stability.

A Damascus-based source said the Ministry’s statement appears to link the attack to recent operations dismantling “terrorist” cells.

Wael Alwan, executive director of the Jusoor for Studies in Damascus, told Asharq Al-Awsat that most cells dismantled in recent months are linked to an axis connected to Iran, which “seeks to exploit chaos and recruit local agents, whether from former regime elements or newly recruited individuals.”

Alwan said many of these cells are tied to Hezbollah or Iraqi groups with local members, most of whom had links to the former regime. “They are trying to exploit chaos, because stability in Syria runs counter to Iran’s interests,” he said.

According to Alwan, al-Mansour was “fully aligned with the process of stability and social peace pursued by the Syrian government,” and had played a role in reshaping a “highly sensitive” aspect of stability concerning the Shiite community.

For that reason, he could have been targeted by cells linked to Iran or Hezbollah, although there is no confirmed information.

He added that the Interior Ministry’s framing of the incident may point to an axis in which Hezbollah remains the most influential actor in Syria.

Sheikh Hassan al-Mansour, from the village of al-Kubar in Deir Ezzor, had recently met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and played a prominent role in promoting civil peace in the Sayyida Zainab area.

He had also rejected any Iranian or Iran-backed militia influence over the shrine or the Shiite religious establishment in Syria.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei strongly condemned the assassination.

Baghaei said on Saturday that such “terrorist acts” are part of “malicious conspiracies by the Zionist entity and the United States to fuel divisions and sow discord in regional countries,” according to Iran’s IRNA news agency.

He called on all parties to remain vigilant and act responsibly in confronting terrorism and extremism, while urging efforts to identify those responsible and strengthen regional cooperation to eradicate the roots of terrorism.

Since the fall of the Iran-backed government of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syria’s Shiite minority, estimated at around 300,000 people and mainly concentrated in Damascus and parts of Homs, Aleppo, and Idlib provinces, has been living in a state of concern.

While the community has not faced retaliatory attacks like those targeting some Alawites on the Syrian coast or Druze in Sweida, a cleric, Rasoul Shahoud, was shot dead near Homs in July 2025.

The Sayyida Zainab area was also targeted by ISIS cells on Jan. 11, 2025, according to the Interior Ministry, which said at the time it had foiled a bombing attempt at the shrine and arrested those involved.

In April, the Ministry said it had dismantled several cells linked to Hezbollah in Damascus and Quneitra that were planning “sabotage” operations and rocket attacks.

It also announced it had thwarted an attempt to assassinate Syrian Jewish rabbi Michael Houri through an explosive device planted outside his home near the Mariamite Cathedral in Bab Touma, Damascus. It said it arrested five suspects, including a woman.

On April 27, Syrian authorities said they had dismantled a “terrorist cell” in Homs province and foiled a plot aimed at “targeting security and stability in the region.”

Two members of the cell were killed and a cache of weapons was seized.