Lebanese official says situation ‘unchanged’ after Israeli pledge to hand over occupied towns

Lebanese official says situation ‘unchanged’ after Israeli pledge to hand over occupied towns The mayor of the southern Lebanese town of Froun told Al Jazeera on Monday that Israeli forces are yet to withdraw from the town, contradicting the Lebanese army’s statement that it had retaken the area from Israeli control. “This is just talk. There have been no new developments in the town of Froun. The situation remains unchanged,” he said. This comes as operational pilot zones to hand back Israeli occupied towns in southern Lebanon were officially launched on Monday. Media convoy vehicles drive past an Israeli flag fluttering along a road in the southern Lebanese area of Naqoura on 20 July 2026 (Anwar Amro/AFP)