Defense Minister Israel Katz says he instructed the IDF to construct military positions in southern Lebanon 'as though we will remain there for 50 years,' signaling a prolonged security presence rather than a rapid withdrawal. Katz reiterated that forces will stay until Hezbollah is disarmed and the threat to northern communities is removed.
Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday instructed the IDF to build military positions in southern Lebanon 'as though we will remain there for 50 years,' according to a report by Jewish Breaking News. The directive signals a shift from open-ended language to a concrete multi-decade planning horizon. Katz has previously stated that Israeli forces will remain in the southern Lebanon security zone until Hezbollah is disarmed and the threat to northern communities is eliminated. The Zioneer has reported Katz's earlier statements that the IDF would stay 'until further notice' (July 1) and 'indefinitely' (June 15, June 25). The new instruction appears to formalize a long-term infrastructure posture rather than a temporary deployment.
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