Key facts
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon indefinitely.
- Netanyahu stated that Israeli troops have full freedom of action in southern Lebanon.
- Netanyahu vowed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
- US Vice President JD Vance defended a US-Tehran agreement addressing regional conflicts.
- Lebanon's health ministry reported over 4,106 deaths from Israeli attacks since March 2.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israeli forces would continue to operate with unrestricted freedom in southern Lebanon and maintain their presence for the foreseeable future. In a video statement, Netanyahu emphasized that his military instructions remained unchanged, asserting that Israeli troops have "no restrictions on this matter" and possess "full freedom of action to thwart any direct or developing threat." He reiterated Israel's commitment to maintaining a "security zone" in southern Lebanon "for as long as is required," irrespective of external agreements or calls for withdrawal. Netanyahu also vowed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, stating that as long as he serves as prime minister, this will not happen. He claimed that Israel's actions had dealt severe blows to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and created conditions for the regime's potential fall. He further asserted that Israeli forces were targeting "Hezbollah terrorists" in Lebanon while striving to minimize civilian casualties, claiming a ratio of five terrorists killed for every civilian harmed. Lebanon's health ministry, however, reported that Israeli attacks since March 2 have resulted in 4,106 deaths in Lebanon, including health and emergency workers, and over 12,100 wounded. US Vice President JD Vance defended an agreement between Washington and Tehran related to regional conflicts, rejecting suggestions that the US is imposing a settlement. He stated the deal was something the region had "desperately asked" the US to put in place, despite the negotiations not including representatives from Israel or Lebanon.