Good morning! It’s Tuesday, January 7, 2025, and we’re back with your daily briefing on defense and global affairs. Here’s what’s making headlines today.

Israel Begins Troop Pullback from South Lebanon Under UN Ceasefire Deal

The United States envoy Amos Hochstein shared on Monday that Israeli forces have started pulling back from Naqura, a border town in south Lebanon, as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

This is the second withdrawal since the truce kicked in on November 27, with UN peacekeepers and Lebanon’s prime minister previously pushing for quicker action from Israel.

The ceasefire terms require the Lebanese army to take over the south alongside UN peacekeepers, while Hezbollah must move its forces north of the Litani River and dismantle military infrastructure near the border.