Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the IDF will maintain an open-ended presence in security zones across Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, pushing back against any pressure to withdraw. Katz's latest remarks, cited by Insider Paper, reinforce a policy he and Prime Minister Netanyahu have stated repeatedly in recent weeks.
Defense Minister Israel Katz reiterated Wednesday that the IDF will maintain an indefinite presence in security buffer zones across Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, according to a report by Insider Paper. The statement — "until further notice" — restates a position Katz first outlined in mid-June and has repeated since, including at an officer course graduation on June 25.
Katz and Prime Minister Netanyahu have over the past month pushed back against domestic and international pressure to withdraw from the zones, describing them as a key war achievement and a necessary safeguard against threats from Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran-aligned militias. The policy covers all three fronts, with the defense minister explicitly tying the buffer's maintenance to the lessons of the October 7 attack.
The latest remarks add no new operational detail, but come amid continued diplomatic discussions over the northern front and Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon and the Syrian Golan buffer area.
3 developments
- DevelopingKatz at officer course graduation: IDF to stay in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones indefinitely
- DevelopingNetanyahu declares Israel will hold security zones in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon as long as needed
- StrongKatz: Netanyahu told Trump Israel won't withdraw from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones
- StrongNetanyahu, defense chiefs reaffirm IDF will maintain security zone in southern Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake