Defense Minister Israel Katz told military correspondents that the Trump administration's decision to link the Lebanon and Iran fronts was an American interest that spared Hezbollah from a severe blow. Katz claimed that strikes on Hezbollah targets in the Dahieh suburb of Beirut, along with civilian evacuations, would have brought about the organization's practical collapse. He also detailed destruction rates of Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon villages: roughly 100% destroyed in the western sector and about 73% in the eastern sector, with 200,000 residents of southern Lebanon's yellow-line area not returning to their homes.
Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday, June 29, disclosed precise figures on Hezbollah infrastructure destruction in southern Lebanon, stating that roughly 100% of terror infrastructure has been destroyed in the western sector and about 73% in the eastern sector of the yellow security zone. Katz added that approximately 200,000 residents of southern Lebanon within the line will not return to their homes. The figures were presented during a briefing to military correspondents, during which Katz reiterated his criticism of the Trump administration's decision to link the Lebanon and Iran fronts, which he said prevented Hezbollah's collapse.
Katz's operational assessment follows a series of statements earlier Monday, reported by The Zioneer at 16:03 Jerusalem, in which he claimed the U.S. policy shift followed a fifth call between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump that Katz did not join — an implicit criticism of both leaders. In those earlier remarks, Katz argued that if the arenas were disconnected, Hezbollah would have collapsed, and said the IDF will remain in Lebanon long-term. The destruction figures Katz provided Monday evening represent a more granular breakdown than previous estimates, which had described nearly total destruction of Shia border villages.
As The Zioneer reported on June 16, Katz previously said the IDF is systematically destroying Hezbollah tunnels and infrastructure near the border fence. On June 27, Netanyahu detailed a trilateral security framework with the U.S. and Lebanon, claiming Hezbollah lost 90% of its pre-war rocket stockpile. The broader debate over the scope of operations in Lebanon and the strategic consequences of U.S. policy has intensified in recent weeks.
It remains unclear exactly when the destruction assessment Katz cited was completed, and whether his claim that civilian evacuations combined with strikes on Dahieh would have brought Hezbollah's collapse is shared by other security officials. No independent corroboration of the 73-100% figures has been published.
9 developments
- DevelopingKatz: IDF thwarting Hezbollah tunnels, destroying terror infrastructure near Lebanon border fence
- StrongKatz calls Lebanon deal a historic achievement, vows no IDF withdrawal until Hezbollah disarmed
- DevelopingTrump reportedly sides with Iran on demand that Israel stop attacking Hezbollah
- DevelopingKatz warns threat of Hezbollah invasion from Lebanon persists, reveals massive unknown tunnel
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