Israel completes Lebanon pullout

Zarit, Israel: Israel has completed its pullout of soldiers from Lebanon and completed a handover to Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers.

The last soldier left southern Lebanon at 2.30am local time (3.30am UAE time) on Sunday morning, according to Israeli army officials.

UN peacekeepers are now expected to verify the Iraeli withdrawal and send patrols to the vacated areas.

However, Israel said it would "retain the right" to fly over Lebanese territory
and patrol Lebanon's coast, claiming that UN resolutions were not being fully observed by Hizbollah.

Israeli army spokesman Major Zvika Golan said: "The responsibility for Lebanon right now is in the hands of the Lebanese government and, of course, the UN so every act of
Hezbollah is the responsibility of Lebanon."

There are currently around 15,000 peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, 10,000 Lebanese army soliders and 5,000 UN peacekeepers.

The UN resolution requires a full Israeli pullout and and calls for the south be kept free of weapons except for arms approved by the Lebanese government.

As many as 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 157 Israelis, mostly soldiers, were killed in the fighting which was sparked by the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah fighters.