Defense Minister Israel Katz said at a press conference Monday evening that the IDF intends to occupy Lebanese territories and will not withdraw a single millimeter until Hezbollah is disarmed. Katz stated the U.S. supports the position, which was agreed upon during CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper's visit to Israel last week, and that the IDF will not withdraw from any annexed areas in Syria, Gaza, or Lebanon.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said during a press conference on Monday evening that the IDF will not withdraw 'a millimeter' from Lebanese territory until Hezbollah is fully disarmed, and that the United States backs this position — a claim he attributed to last week's visit by CENTCOM chief General Brad Cooper. Katz also stated that the IDF will not withdraw from any annexed areas in Syria, Gaza, or Lebanon, framing the buffer as a non-negotiable security requirement. The press conference was accompanied by a map of IDF-controlled territory in the northern sector.
The latest statement comes on the same day the IDF reported striking three Hezbollah command centers in southern Lebanon overnight, in response to ongoing ceasefire violations — a strike that was first reported by The Zioneer at 09:53 Jerusalem. Over the course of that thread, the initial report (version 1) cited the strikes as a response to attacks on IDF soldiers, including the killing of Captain David Hazut. By version 2, the IDF confirmed the strikes hit Nabatieh and Mayfadoun; by version 3, the military added that the Multidimensional Unit had destroyed a Hezbollah launcher. By version 4, the strikes were explicitly framed as a response to Hezbollah violations that included the death of an IDF soldier. Versions 5 and 6 added Katz's own statement, made earlier Monday, that no further IDF withdrawals beyond two pilot zones are expected until Hezbollah is disarmed — a position he reiterated more forcefully tonight.
This is not Katz's first such statement. As The Zioneer reported on June 15, June 25, and June 27, Katz has repeatedly linked the IDF's open-ended presence in security zones across Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza to preventing a repeat of the October 7 attack, and has said the buffer is a key war achievement. On June 21, Katz specifically said Israel has no intention of withdrawing from the Beaufort Castle area, which he described as an inseparable part of the security zone. On June 18, Iran publicly demanded a full IDF withdrawal from Lebanon, and Israel publicly rejected that demand.
What remains open is whether Katz's claim of direct U.S. backing for the non-withdrawal position — specifically tied to Cooper's visit — will be corroborated by American officials. The thread has not independently confirmed that agreement, and no U.S. statement has yet been published in our reporting.
7 developments
- StrongKatz calls Lebanon deal a historic achievement, vows no IDF withdrawal until Hezbollah disarmed
- DevelopingKatz at officer course graduation: IDF to stay in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones indefinitely
- DevelopingSenior Israeli security official: IDF will not withdraw from southern Lebanon
- StrongKatz: IDF to remain up to Beaufort heights, any ceasefire violation met with force
Source and signal
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