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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Wednesday army forces will not leave territory occupied in southern Lebanon “even if the United States demands withdrawal.”
“Israel will not leave its security zone in Lebanon, even if the United States demands withdrawal,” Katz said during an event in Tel Aviv, as cited by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
There was no immediate response from Washington.
The comments come as senior Israeli officials continue to insist on maintaining control over occupied areas in southern Lebanon despite a recent US-Iran understanding, which includes commitments related to respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Katz and Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir pledged to maintain control of what Israel describes as a “security zone” in southern Lebanon.
Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 conflict. During its current military campaign, Israeli forces have advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory.
Since March 2, Israel’s attacks in Lebanon have killed 4,192 people, wounded 12,171 others and displaced more than one million residents, according to Lebanese official figures.
Katz also vowed that Israel will not allow the return of around 200,000 Lebanese to their areas in southern Lebanon.
READ: Iran says Israeli strikes on Lebanon delayed next round of US talks
He claimed that allowing civilians to return could expose Israeli troops to attacks.
“What happened in the past in security zones that included civilian populations was the planting of explosive devices and attacks against soldiers,” he said.
“The soldiers are inside, the population is outside, the infrastructure is destroyed and the houses are demolished. We will not withdraw,” he said.
Katz further said Israel would maintain its occupation of areas in both Syria and Lebanon.
“We will not leave the security zone in Syria and Lebanon; this is the security doctrine,” he said, claiming that Israeli forces must “be present in enemy territory to protect Israeli communities.”
His remarks come as Lebanese and Israeli delegations are holding a fifth round of talks in Washington from Tuesday through Thursday.
According to Israeli media reports, the discussions include possible areas from which Israeli troops could withdraw and be replaced by Lebanese army forces.
In addition to occupying territory in southern Lebanon, Israel continues to occupy Palestinian territories and areas inside Syria, while rejecting international calls for withdrawal and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in line with relevant UN resolutions.
READ: Israeli soldiers’ parents demand end to Lebanon fighting and return of troops
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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir bragged Wednesday about demolishing 5,700 Palestinian homes over the past year, vowing to demolish more buildings amid ongoing Israeli military escalation against Palestinians.
“I demolished 5,700 homes in the past year alone,” Ben-Gvir said during a conference in Tel Aviv, as cited by Israel’s Channel 12.
“I will continue demolishing more and more homes in Bedouin communities,” he vowed.
Palestinian Bedouin villages and communities are spread across northern and southern Israel, including the Negev, as well as in the occupied West Bank.
In a report on June 10, Amnesty International said Israel has accelerated policies targeting Bedouin and herding communities in the occupied West Bank through land seizures and related measures.
READ: Olmert: Israel is running a state-funded campaign of settler terrorism in West Bank
“At least 117 predominantly Bedouin and herding Palestinian communities have faced either full or partial displacement between January 2023 and April 2026, according to OCHA. By the end of April 2026, at least 5,910 people had been forcibly displaced,” Amnesty said, citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The West Bank has seen escalating demolitions and attacks by occupiers and the Israeli army on Palestinians and their property, aimed at displacing residents and expanding illegal settlements in the occupied territory.
Since Oct. 8, 2023, Israeli escalation by the army and occupiers in the West Bank has killed 1,173 Palestinians, wounded 12,666, led to the arrest of about 23,000 and displaced 33,000, according to official Palestinian figures.
Palestinians warn that the attacks are paving the way for Israel to formally annex the occupied West Bank, which would end the possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state under UN resolutions.
Israel was established in 1948 on lands occupied by armed Zionist groups, and in 1967 occupied the remaining Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the eastern part of Jerusalem.
OPINION: Thank You, Israel, for Overplaying the Empire’s Hand
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