Key facts
- Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, according to Defense Minister Israel Katz.
- Katz's statement qualified earlier remarks suggesting indefinite occupation and drew U.S. criticism.
- The U.S. expects parties to adhere to a U.S.-backed deal for withdrawal linked to disarmament.
- Israel has stated it will keep forces in southern Lebanon to shield northern Israel from attack by Hezbollah.
- Hezbollah opposes talks with Israel and has ruled out discussing its weapons before an Israeli withdrawal.
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Thursday that Israeli forces will not withdraw from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, a qualification of his remarks from the previous day that suggested indefinite occupation and drew criticism from the United States. Katz had said on Wednesday that Israel was not withdrawing from the security zone and would "cleanse this area and ensure the security of the northern residents."
A U.S. State Department official responded that a permanent Israeli military presence in south Lebanon is inconsistent with commitments in a U.S.-backed deal between Israel and Lebanon, which foresees a progressive Israeli withdrawal linked to the verified disarmament of Hezbollah. The official added that the U.S. expects all parties to act in accordance with the framework they agreed to.
Katz further instructed the IDF to prepare for an extended presence in the area until the goal of disarming Hezbollah and removing the threat is fully achieved. This statement comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party seeks to bolster its security credentials ahead of an election. Netanyahu himself recently called U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza roadmap "unacceptable."
Hezbollah, founded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, opposes Beirut's talks with Israel and has ruled out discussions on its weapons before an Israeli withdrawal. The conflict, which began when Hezbollah opened fire on Israel two days into the war on Iran, has led to hundreds of thousands of Lebanese being uprooted. Lebanon's health ministry reports nearly 4,300 people killed in Israeli attacks since March, while the Israeli military states it lost 38 soldiers and one civilian contractor. Israel has also conducted operations in Syria with the stated goal of establishing a demilitarized zone, and currently occupies approximately 70 percent of Gaza.