Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a message to President Trump that Israel neither sought nor requires external authorization for its military presence in southern Lebanon, vowing to remain until Hezbollah is disarmed and the threat to northern communities is eliminated.
This morning (Thu 08:58 Jerusalem), Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement asserting that Israel did not seek and does not require external authorization for its military presence in Lebanon, explicitly rejecting President Trump's suggestion that Israel is preparing to withdraw. Katz vowed that the IDF will remain in the security zone until Hezbollah is disarmed nationwide, reiterating the right to defend northern residents.
The statement, published at 08:58 Jerusalem, was the first of several versions that gradually clarified it was a direct response to Trump. The thread shows the initial report was followed by versions specifying that Katz rejected Trump's withdrawal assertion, detailing the security zone establishment and characterizing Hezbollah as a 'jihadist terrorist organization.' This comes after a series of reports: on Jun 14, Netanyahu told Trump that Israel is not bound by the Lebanon clause in the US-Iran deal (The Zioneer, Jun 14 20:52 Jerusalem); on Jun 16, Israel objected to Trump's demand to halt Lebanon fighting (The Zioneer, Jun 16 20:23 Jerusalem); on Jun 17, the US reportedly urged Israel to fully refrain from Lebanon operations (The Zioneer, Jun 17 12:31 Jerusalem); on Jun 21, Trump posted a warning to Iran to stop Hezbollah (The Zioneer, Jun 21 16:54 Jerusalem); and later that day, a Hezbollah commander warned that Israel will not remain (The Zioneer, Jun 21 19:13 Jerusalem).
The Zioneer has previously reported on the emerging US-Iran deal, which reportedly includes a Lebanon clause. Netanyahu has publicly stated that Israel is not bound by that clause. The US has pressed for restraint, but Katz's statement makes clear that Israel will not accept external constraints on its operations in southern Lebanon.
It remains unclear whether the Trump administration will accept Israel's position or escalate pressure. Hezbollah's threats of response stand, but no military action has been reported in response to Katz's statement.
6 developments
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz: No US demand to withdraw from Lebanon
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz: 'We will not leave a situation where our soldiers are harmed unilaterally'
- StrongKatz: Trump blocked a full-scale Israeli offensive to destroy Hezbollah
- ConfirmedKatz: IDF will not withdraw 'a millimeter' from Lebanon until Hezbollah disarmed
Source and signal
- Internal intake