Israeli forces remain positioned in a security zone up to roughly 10-12 kilometers into southern Lebanon along the self-declared Yellow Line, following the November 2025 ceasefire that required Hezbollah's withdrawal north of the Litani River and Israeli pullback within 60 days, later extended to February 18, 2027. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on October 14 that troops will not leave buffer zones, citing ongoing Hezbollah infrastructure threats and the need to protect northern Israel, while the IDF continues fortifying positions and preparing for winter deployments. Hezbollah sources report accelerated rebuilding of capabilities on both sides of the Litani, amid stalled U.S.-mediated talks over sequencing disarmament with full Israeli withdrawal to the Blue Line. These security dynamics, combined with Lebanese demands for complete handover to the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL, shape trader assessments of near-term compliance with any specific withdrawal deadline.