Seven Hezbollah fighters were detained by the Israeli military during more than a year of hostilities before a November 27 ceasefire, a source close to the Lebanese group said Monday.
“Seven fighters from Hezbollah were taken prisoner” before the truce went into effect, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The source added that four additional individuals were apprehended by Israeli forces in southern Lebanese border villages on Sunday but did not identify them as fighters.
Under the ceasefire deal, Lebanon’s military and United Nations peacekeepers were to deploy in southern Lebanon as Israeli forces withdrew over a 60-day period that ended Sunday. Despite this timeline, the Israeli military, which launched ground operations in Lebanon in September 2024, has not completed its withdrawal.
Hundreds of displaced residents have been attempting to return to their homes in the south. The White House confirmed Sunday that the ceasefire agreement has been extended until February 18, while Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Lebanon would comply with the extension.
The ceasefire requires Hezbollah to pull its forces north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border, and dismantle remaining military infrastructure in the south.
Mikati stated Sunday that the United States would begin negotiations to secure the return of Lebanese detainees held in Israeli prisons, following Lebanon’s request. These detainees were reportedly arrested after October 7, 2023, when war erupted in Gaza.
Hezbollah initiated cross-border attacks on Israel the following day. The conflict escalated into full-scale war in September 2024 after months of sporadic hostilities.
On October 15, the Israeli military announced that troops had captured three Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, days after apprehending another fighter from an underground tunnel shaft.
A Hezbollah spokesman later acknowledged that members of the group had been detained but did not disclose the total number.
The recent developments highlight ongoing tensions despite the truce, as both sides navigate the terms of the agreement and broader regional dynamics.
