Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that Israel will remain in the "yellow security zone" in southern Lebanon as part of a trilateral framework with the US and Lebanon. He claimed Hezbollah lost 90% of its 150,000 pre-war rockets and missiles, and that the agreement signals Lebanon's break from Iran. Netanyahu separately warned that if Iran attacks Israel again, Israel will respond forcefully.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening detailed the Lebanon framework agreement, saying Israel will hold a "yellow security zone" in southern Lebanon as part of a trilateral arrangement with the US and Lebanon. He also warned Iran against any future attack. The remarks, delivered around 22:00 Jerusalem, expand on a series of statements Netanyahu made earlier that same evening and over the preceding days, as The Zioneer has reported in multiple updates since Friday night.
Netanyahu first disclosed the US and Lebanon's consent to the security zone at a press conference on Friday at 20:00 Jerusalem, while also reporting that more than 200 Hezbollah militants had been eliminated in the prior two weeks. Over the course of that Friday evening, the PM issued at least seven additional statements clarifying the framework: by 20:57 Jerusalem, he confirmed that the agreement excludes Iran and establishes two pilot areas for Lebanese army deployment; at 21:05 Jerusalem, he framed the deal as a message to Iran that "you are out of the game." The thread then continued Saturday evening with a further flurry of statements — Netanyahu called the framework a historic achievement, presented the pilot zones, and stated that the ultimate goal is a peace agreement. Throughout the thread, the core claim of an Israeli security zone in southern Lebanon has remained consistent, with the most detailed military assessment — alleging 90% destruction of Hezbollah's pre-war arsenal — appearing in tonight's remarks.
As The Zioneer reported on June 14, Netanyahu informed President Trump that Israel is not bound by the Lebanon clause in the US-Iran memorandum of understanding. Tonight, Netanyahu reiterated that position, stating Israel will send a delegation to Washington to present its position on Iran's nuclear program.
The specific timeline for the Lebanese army deployment in the pilot zones and the mechanism for verifying Hezbollah's disarmament — if any — remain open questions, as no formal implementation schedule has been provided.
15 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu: Israel establishing buffer zone in southern Lebanon, will prevent Iran nuclear arms
- StrongNetanyahu at brother's memorial: We'll stay in Lebanon buffer zone as long as needed
- StrongNetanyahu sees Lebanon deal as major setback for Iran, pushes for broad coalition
- DevelopingNetanyahu declares Israel will hold security zones in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon as long as needed
Source and signal
- Internal intake