Israel says IDF will not withdraw from southern Lebanon despite US pressure
Defense Minister Israel Katz affirmed that Israeli forces will remain in the southern Lebanon security zone, while the IDF reported recent strikes against Hezbollah operatives amid ongoing US-mediated talks.
Israel’s defense minister said on Wednesday that the Israeli Defense Forces will stay in the security zone it controls in southern Lebanon, even if the United States were to request a pull-back, adding that no such request has been made. Katz told an audience at the Muni Expo conference in Tel Aviv that the IDF is “prepared… and we are not retreating,” and that the government has announced it will not withdraw.
The zone stretches along the entire border and, in some sections, extends up to 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory, reaching areas such as the Litani River and the outskirts of Nabatieh. Katz said that displaced residents are unlikely to return while the zone remains in place because of security concerns.
In a separate incident, the IDF said troops from the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit spotted two armed Hezbollah members near Nabatieh and engaged them with air and ground fire, describing the action as removing a threat to forces operating in the area. The Israeli Air Force also carried out a drone strike that killed two individuals near the town of Kfar Rumman, which the Lebanese state news agency said were Hezbollah operatives.
The clashes follow a series of direct talks in Washington between Israeli and Lebanese representatives, hosted by the U.S. State Department. The fifth round of negotiations, which began on Tuesday, covered both political and security issues and is set to continue at the Pentagon and later at the State Department. U.S. officials are reportedly seeking a limited Israeli withdrawal from the security zone, to be replaced by Lebanese army units as part of a pilot program, although Hezbollah has not taken part in the talks.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, reiterated that a cease-fire in Lebanon is as important as one in Iran, linking the two conflicts in remarks made in Baku.
“The IDF is prepared… and we are not retreating,” Katz said during the interview.
“For us, a ceasefire in Lebanon is as important as a ceasefire in Iran, and further, an end to the war in Lebanon is as important as an end to the war in Iran,” Ghalibaf said.
The United States hopes the negotiations will lead to an agreement on a partial withdrawal, while Israel maintains that any decision must consider the security situation on the ground.