Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday at an IDF officers' graduation ceremony that an Iranian attack on Israel over Lebanon would be met with overwhelming force. He also stated that the IDF will remain in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza without a time limit.
Defense Minister Israel Katz reiterated Israel's security-first posture during the IDF officers' graduation ceremony at Bahad 1 on Thursday evening. Katz warned Iran directly: "If Iran attacks us because of Lebanon, we will attack it with full force." The comment comes amid ongoing Israeli operations across multiple fronts and world calls for a withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Katz also stated that the IDF will maintain an open-ended presence in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza — a position he and Prime Minister Netanyahu have communicated to the Trump administration, as The Zioneer reported earlier this week. Prime Minister Netanyahu, speaking at the same ceremony, said: "We will maintain control of the areas that dominate." The speech, covered by i24NEWS, echoed previous statements by both leaders, rejecting international pressure for a pullback and framing the buffer zones as a key achievement since October 7, 2023.
3 developments
- StrongKatz: IDF will stay in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones indefinitely, rejects withdrawal pressure
- DevelopingIsrael's Katz: Campaign against Iran far from over; IDF ready to strike Iran with great force
- DevelopingKatz: IDF has full backing, freedom of action against all threats in Lebanon, Gaza
- StrongIsrael's defense minister rejects Iranian threats, warns of forceful response
Source and signal
- Internal intake