Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told troops in the southern Lebanon security zone on Tuesday that the military would remain in the area for the foreseeable future, crediting the soldiers’ work for the recent agreement between Israel, Lebanon, and the US that demands Hezbollah’s disarmament to enable an Israeli withdrawal. “If you identify a threat to your security, to your lives, or to the lives of your soldiers — act. Do not wait. Act. That is an ironclad directive,” Netanyahu told troops during the visit, according to a statement from his office. The visit also included Defense Minister Israel Katz and Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Tamir Yadai.
Netanyahu said Israel’s recent military operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah led to the agreement, telling soldiers that, “as a result of your actions here, Lebanon recognizes Israel, Israel recognizes Lebanon,” describing them as “two sovereign states that want peace.” “We are telling both Iran and Hezbollah: leave this place. You have no business being here… This is a slap in the face, a punch in the face of the Iranian axis,” he said. The premier reiterated that “we will not leave southern Lebanon until the threat has been eliminated. And as long as Hezbollah remains here, armed and threatening us, we will remain here as well.”
Netanyahu hailed military achievements against Hezbollah, calling the terror group “the most important link in the Iranian axis,” and saying that after recent rounds of fighting, only 8% of its previous stock of 150,000 missiles and rockets remains, while 9,000 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed. A framework agreement signed last week committed Lebanon to restoring sovereignty over its territory through the “verified disarmament of non-state armed groups,” which would in turn enable a progressive Israeli withdrawal. The state of Lebanon, along with Israel and the US, signed the agreement, but Hezbollah and its allies are opposed to it.
On Monday, Defense Minister Katz said Israel has “no territorial ambitions in Lebanon,” but that the IDF will not withdraw “a millimeter” until the terror group is disarmed. He also voiced skepticism that the Lebanese army would “suddenly become lions charging at Hezbollah,” concluding that the IDF’s presence in Lebanon would be “long-term.” (Read More)
