For today, links to five reports, followed by a map: from the Associated Press, Reuters, the Anadolu Agency, the Cradle, and ezilon.com; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (IRAN, GAZA, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.  LEBANON 2-17-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Villagers in southern Lebanon begin to return home as Israeli army withdraws under ceasefire deal, by Bassem Mroue | AP  KFAR KILA, Lebanon — Israeli forces withdrew today from border villages in southern Lebanon under a deadline spelled out in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, but stayed in five strategic overlook locations inside Lebanon. Top Lebanese leaders . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Israel says its army to stay in ‘buffer zone’ in Lebanon, by Abdelraouf Arnaout | Anadolu Agency  JERUSALEM — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today that the army will stay in five points in southern Lebanon, calling them a “buffer zone” to protect Israeli settlements against Hezbollah attacks. READ MORE . . .

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Israel maintains occupation in five key areas after withdrawal from south Lebanon. From the Cradle. The Israeli army has maintained its occupation of at least five key locations in southern Lebanon after completing the withdrawal of most of its troops from the south early today. Israeli forces continue to occupy . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 17  Israel changes tune, says ‘ready to leave’ Lebanon by ceasefire deadline: report. From the Cradle. Israel is planning to withdraw its occupation forces from southern Lebanon by the approaching deadline, an Israeli official told Times of Israel on Monday. READ MORE . . .

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