Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday he opposes the withdrawal of IDF forces from the security zone in southern Lebanon, rejecting "all pressure, existing and yet to come." Katz said the purpose of the IDF's presence remains protecting northern communities, neutralizing threats, and destroying terror infrastructure above and below ground, according to Amichai Stein (i24NEWS).
Defense Minister Israel Katz reiterated Thursday that the IDF will not withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon, rejecting all pressure to do so — "existing and yet to come," as he put it. In a statement carried by Amichai Stein (i24NEWS), Katz said the purpose of the IDF's continued presence is to protect northern communities, neutralize threats, and destroy terror infrastructure both above and below ground. "The security of Israeli citizens and our forces stands above any other consideration," he added.
The statement follows a series of similar declarations from Katz and other senior Israeli officials over the past two weeks. As The Zioneer has reported, on June 15 Katz said the IDF would maintain an open-ended presence in security zones across Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, and that the position had been conveyed to President Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth. On June 23, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Zamir issued a joint statement reaffirming the policy after a late-night call with Northern Command. Thursday's remarks mark the first time Katz has framed his position in personal first-person terms — "we oppose withdrawal" — amid what he described as ongoing pressure.
2 developments
- StrongKatz: IDF will stay in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones indefinitely, rejects withdrawal pressure
- StrongKatz warns Iran: Any attack on Israel over Lebanon will draw 'full-force' response
- DevelopingDefense Minister: Israel has no intention of withdrawing from Beaufort security zone in Lebanon
- StrongKatz: Netanyahu told Trump Israel won't withdraw from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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