Lebanese troops crossed the Litani River yesterday, heading southwards to take control of a Hezbollah stronghold in line with a UN resolution ending a month of conflict. -Xinhua/AFP

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) source said yesterday that Israel had begun transferring some of its positions in southern Lebanon to the UN forces with the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area, Israel's newspaper Ha'aretz reported.

Lebanese troops, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, began deployment early Thursday in the south of the Litani River in line with a United Nations cease-fire plan to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, local Ha'aretz said, citing a senior IDF official.

The deployment will continue for a few days "to spread Lebanese government authority over all Lebanese territory, including south of the Litani River," a Lebanese official was quoted as saying.

It was reported that about Lebanese 40 military trucks and jeeps were heading to south Lebanon at around 4 a.m.(0100 GMT)on Thursday.

The IDF confirmed early Thursday that its troops had handed over some of their positions to the United Nations peacekeeping force operating in the area.

"Following a joint agreement of members of the IDF, UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) and the Lebanese army, the process of transferring authority has begun," an IDF statement said.

"The process will be carried out in stages and is conditional on the reinforcement of UNIFIL and the ability of the Lebanese army to take effective control of the area," the statement said.

Under the UN cease-fire agreement, Israel was to transfer control of its positions in southern Lebanon to the UN force, who would then turn it over to the Lebanese army.

More than 50 percent of the areas Israel holds had been transferred already, the IDF said. The area extends north and east of the town of Marjayoun and another area further west.

The UN Security Council resolution authorized up to 15000 UN peacekeepers to help 15,000 Lebanese troops extend their authority throughout south Lebanon, which Hezbollah controls, and called on IDF troops to withdraw "in parallel."

The aim is to create a buffer zone free of Hezbollah fighters between the Litani River, some 30 km inside Lebanon, and the UN-drawn border.