Jerusalem, Sep 19 (DPA) Israeli troops will pull out of Lebanon by the Jewish New Year, which begins Friday, Israel Defence Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Dan Halutz told a Knesset committee Tuesday.

Lieutenant-General Halutz told the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee that "if all goes well, all Israeli soldiers will be out of Lebanon by the eve of the Jewish New Year," committee member Ran Cohen told Israel Radio.

Israeli troops deployed in south Lebanon during the recent hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah guerrilla, which broke out on July 12.