Senior Israeli officials told Ynet that the US now understands Israel will not compromise on remaining in Lebanon. The IDF continues operating in the captured areas with no restrictions, destroying all terror infrastructure. Shia villages inside the yellow line have no residents to return to, the officials said.
Senior Israeli officials told Ynet on Monday evening that the United States has come to understand Israel's firm position on southern Lebanon: there will be no compromise on withdrawal from the captured areas. The officials said IDF operations in the security zones continue unrestrictedly, with forces destroying all remaining terror infrastructure. They also stated that Shia villages located inside the so-called 'yellow line' — the border strip Israel controls — have no inhabitants able to return, indicating a lasting change to the demographic and security reality on the ground.
The remarks reinforce a string of recent statements from Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz, who have stressed in recent days to the Trump administration that the Lebanon clause in the emerging US-Iran framework does not bind Israel. As The Zioneer reported on Sunday, Netanyahu told the president that the IDF would not withdraw from security zones in southern Lebanon, Syria, or Gaza — a position Katz reaffirmed publicly today, warning Iran that an attack over Lebanon would draw a full-force response.
The official line underscores that even amid diplomatic movement between Washington and Tehran, Jerusalem's northern security posture remains unchanged. It remains unclear when or whether the US-Iran deal will be finalized, or what enforcement mechanism for the Lebanon clause either side envisions.
2 developments
- StrongIsrael will not leave Lebanon but won't strike if ceasefire holds, sources say
- StrongSenior Israeli official: Lebanon line holds as Iran fails to link fronts
- DevelopingSenior US official: Israel won't be asked to leave Lebanon until final Iran-Lebanon deal — at least 60 days
- StrongKatz: IDF will stay in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones indefinitely, rejects withdrawal pressure
Source and signal
- Internal intake