Lebanese army receives soldier detained by Israel

The soldier is the fifth detainee to be released after meeting this week of Lebanese, US, French and Israeli representatives

A Lebanese army vehicle patrols in the southern border village of Sarada after Israeli troops pulled out of the area. AFP

Israel on Thursday released a Lebanese soldier who was detained on Sunday, Lebanon's army said in a post on X.

“The soldier was transferred to Lebanon by the Red Cross and was taken to a hospital for treatment,” said the army.

Israel said it would release five Lebanese held by its military in a “gesture to the Lebanese president”, amid talks between the two sides. Lebanon received four of them on Tuesday.

A Lebanese security source told The National that three of the detainees were civilians, one was a Lebanese army soldier and one was a member of Hezbollah.

The releases were the result of a military-to-military meeting between Lebanese, US, French and Israeli representatives, which took place on Tuesday in the UN peacekeeping headquarters in Naqoura.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to establish working groups to settle disputes over five points where the Israeli military remains stationed in Lebanon, other border disputes and the release of more Lebanese detainees, according to a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

While Israel largely withdrew from southern Lebanon under a ceasefire deal reached in November, its troops continue to hold five strategic hilltop positions in the area, quoting Hezbollah activity. Israel has also conducted sporadic air strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon.

The ceasefire deal ended more than a year of conflict between Israel's military and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah that played out in parallel with the Gaza war.

Shortly after the announcement, US Deputy Presidential Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus said talks to resolve “outstanding issues” would be organised soon. She said the five detainees being released by Israel were a mix of civilians and soldiers.

Lebanese and US sources have told The National that Israel’s continued presence in Lebanon and its low-intensity conflict with Hezbollah could serve a broader strategic objective: nudging Lebanon towards a peace agreement with Israel.

“There’s a long-term strategic reasoning to keep the Lebanese government in check and, eventually, push Lebanon towards a long-term peace agreement with Israel. It’s a long-game, steady-state approach,” said the US official.

The Lebanese government does not officially recognise Israel.