Day 501 - IDF withdraws to a possible 'buffer zone' on Lebanon border
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 18 February 2025
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Today as the extended deadline for IDF withdrawal from Lebanon under the US-brokered ceasefire expires, Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “Starting today, the IDF will remain in a buffer zone in Lebanon in five strategic outposts and will continue to enforce forcefully and without compromise against any violation by Hezbollah.” Fabian explains why these five points and whether there is now a "buffer zone" on the border.
Israel is expecting to receive the bodies of four hostages from Hamas on Thursday under the provisions of the first stage of an ongoing ceasefire deal with the Palestinian terror group. We hear how the IDF is preparing to receive the bodies and how the families will eventually be informed of their identities.
Even as Egypt is working towards a proposal for rebuilding Gaza, Defense Minister Katz has called for a new directorate in the Defense Ministry tasked with enabling Palestinians to “voluntarily” leave the Gaza Strip, as per US President Donald Trump’s stated plans. Fabian weighs in.
The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out a pair of drone strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday — one targeting a group of gunmen who were approaching Israeli forces in one area and the other as a warning when a car drove near soldiers in another. We hear how all is not calm on the ground in Gaza.
The Israeli military announced on Sunday that it had completed its investigations into its failures during the lead-up to the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, and would begin to present its findings next Tuesday. We learn what the investigations should -- or should not -- unveil.
Please see today's ongoing live blog for more updates.
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.
For further reading:
Lebanese army says it’s deploying in southern border villages as IDF withdraws
IDF to remain in five strategic posts in south Lebanon after Tuesday withdrawal
Israel says it is preparing for Hamas to return bodies of four hostages on Thursday
Egypt developing plan to rebuild Gaza as counter to Trump’s call to depopulate area
Katz announces new panel tasked with advancing ‘voluntary’ emigration of Gazans
Hamas said to agree to cede Gaza governance to PA; Netanyahu: ‘Not going to happen’
IDF drone strike hits gunmen in southern Gaza; three Hamas cops reportedly killed
IDF completes all October 7 probes, will start presenting them next week
IMAGE: A map showing the locations of five IDF posts in southern Lebanon that troops will remain deployed to after a February 18, 2025, deadline. (Times of Israel; OpenStreetMap)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Times of Israel's daily briefing. Today is Tuesday, February 18th, Day 501 of the war. |
| 0:12.1 | Amanda Borschelle Dan here with our military reporter Emmanuel Fabian. Hi, Manny. Thanks for joining me today. |
| 0:17.5 | Hi, Amanda. The Lebanon Seesfire extension ended today, and we will start off today's episode by looking |
| 0:23.5 | at what's happening on the ground in southern Lebanon right now. |
| 0:28.0 | Then we'll turn to Gaza as Israel prepares to receive bodies of hostages murdered by |
| 0:33.4 | Hamas on Thursday. |
| 0:35.9 | We'll hear about new proposals for the day after in Gaza, |
| 0:39.7 | including one from Defense Minister Israel, Katz, and some others. |
| 0:44.1 | And we'll get a preview of the IDF's thorough investigations |
| 0:47.6 | into the October 7th massacre that is due to be released next week. |
| 0:53.6 | All this and much, much more when we're back. |
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