Lebanon sets presidential elections for January | IDF opens fire to keep Lebanese from returning south | Hamas not ready for truce before Trump inauguration

13:15 - Lebanon intends to elect new president in January after 2-year deadlock

Lebanon's parlament speaker and representative on behalf of Hezbollah in the ceasefire talks, Nabih Berri, called for presidential elections in January.

The presidency is the highest office in the country, but has been vacant for over two years as Hezbollah has blocked new elections.

“Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9,” the official National News Agency reported.

After a minute of silence for the dead of the war, Berri said at the start of a parliamentary legislative session on Thursday: “I swore that as soon as the cease-fire came to an end, I would set the date for a session to elect a President."

12:02 - IDF says it fired on cars trying to enter restricted south Lebanon areas

"Over the past hour, several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire. The IDF opened fire toward them," the Israeli military said.

"The IDF remains in southern Lebanon and will actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement."

11:19 - IDF drone strikes near car in southern Lebanon to keep it away from restricted area

An IDF drone carried out a strike on a car in the Lebanese town Markaba in southern Lebanon, wounding two people, according to Lebanese reports.

The IDF confirmed that a drone carried out a strike, but said it hit near the vehicle in order to keep it away from a restricted area, Army Radio reported.

10:14 - IDF uses artillery to keep Lebanese from approaching restricted areas in southern Lebanon

During the last few hours, residents of the western Galilee area have reported hearing "almost non-stop" IDF artillery fire.

According to Army Radio, the shelling was intended to keep away Lebanese who approached the forbidden zone in southern Lebanon.

09:35 - Northern Israel schools remain closed as precautionary measure

Schools in northern Israel will remain closed on Thursday, following instructions by Defense Minister Israel Katz, who reportedly overruled the IDF on the issue.

Army Radio reported that the IDF Northern Command and Home Front Command generals recommended to lift all restrictions in northern Israel.

Katz said his decision was "a step of necessary caution and a clear message regarding Israel's determination to enforce the agreement. If Hezbollah's attempts to violate the agreement continue and the Lebanese government does not fulfill its obligations, Israel is prepared to respond strongly."

07:58 - Hamas not ready for ceasefire before Jan. 20 - WSJ reports

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Egyptian officials have been in touch with President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, in an effort to see if he could convince Israel to compromise on some of its key sticking points.

Specifically, the Egyptians wanted a compromise regarding the “buffer zone” between Israel and Gaza. At the same time, Egypt communicated to Hamas that it is isolated after the Hezbollah cease-fire deal with Israel, and its demands for a full withdrawal of IDF soldiers from Gaza are unlikely to be accepted by Netanyahu.

The WSJ also reported that US officials assess that Hamas hasn't shown signs that they are ready for a Gaza cease-fire deal before Biden leaves office on Jan. 20. 

07:19 - IRGC commander says Lebanon ceasefire is 'strategic failure' for Israel

The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, told Hezbollah secretary general Naim Qassem that "the ceasefire on the Lebanese front is a strategic failure for Israel."

Salami claimed that "Israel has not even come close to achieving its objectives in the war against Hezbollah." He also told the Hezbollah leader that "the ceasefire in Lebanon could mark the beginning of a halt to the war in Gaza."

06:10 - IDF warns Lebanese citizens not to enter southern villages along the border

IDF Arabic Spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee gave a warning to Lebanese residents attempting to return to their evacuated homes along the southern border.

"An urgent statement to the people of Lebanon: Until further notice, you are prohibited from moving south to the line of the following villages and their surroundings, and also within the villages themselves: Shebaa, Hebbariyeh, Marjeyoun, Arnoun, Yahmor, Qantara, Shaqra, Barashit, Yatar, Mansouri. The IDF does not intend to target you, and therefore you are prohibited at this stage from returning to your homes from this line south until further notice. Anyone who moves south of this line - puts himself in danger."

#عاجل 🔴بيان عاجل إلى سكان لبنان
⭕️حتى إشعار آخر يحظر عليكم الانتقال جنوبًا إلى خط القرى التالية ومحيطها وأيضا داخل القرى نفسها: شبعا، الهبارية، مرجعيون، أرنون، يحمر، القنطرة، شقرا، برعشيت، ياطر، المنصوري
⭕️جيش الدفاع لا ينوي استهدافكم ولذلك يحظر عليكم في هذه المرحلة العودة إلى… pic.twitter.com/Ykcp0EoB2u

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) November 28, 2024