Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon — including the strategic Beaufort Castle hilltop — as long as Hezbollah remains an active force, according to his statement. The remark reinforces Israel's maximalist posture in the ongoing standoff over a buffer zone inside Lebanese territory.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated Tuesday morning that Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon, including the Beaufort Castle area, as long as Hezbollah exists as an armed force. The statement, published by a single source, is the latest in a series of senior Israeli officials reiterating the same position.
As The Zioneer reported at 09:33 Tuesday, Smotrich had already made a near-identical statement in an earlier bulletin. The Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said Sunday evening that Israel has no intention of withdrawing from Beaufort, which he described as an inseparable part of the security zone (The Zioneer, 22:14 Sunday). Prime Minister Netanyahu has also stated the IDF will remain in southern Lebanon as long as security needs require (The Zioneer, June 18).
The remarks come as Lebanon and Hezbollah continue to reject any permanent Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil, with a Hezbollah commander renewing warnings on Sunday that the group will respond to any violation.
2 developments
- DevelopingDefense Minister: Israel has no intention of withdrawing from Beaufort security zone in Lebanon
- ConfirmedSmotrich: Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon, deepening rift with US over Iran deal
- StrongKatz: IDF to remain up to Beaufort heights, any ceasefire violation met with force
- DevelopingSenior Israeli security official: IDF will not withdraw from southern Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake