Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon — including the Beaufort Castle area — until Hezbollah ceases to exist, according to his statement published by a single source. The remarks restate Israel's maximalist position in the ongoing diplomatic standoff over a southern Lebanon security zone.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday morning that Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon — including the Beaufort Castle area — until Hezbollah ceases to exist, according to a statement carried by a single source. The remark directly echoes and extends the minister's earlier rejection of any IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon. On June 17, The Zioneer reported Smotrich's statement that Israel would stay in the area 'for as many years as necessary' (published at 12:22 Jerusalem). Tuesday's formulation sharpens the condition further, tying withdrawal to the complete dissolution of Hezbollah as an organization rather than to any ceasefire or broader diplomatic arrangement.
The statement comes amid an ongoing standoff: Hezbollah leaders including Naim Qassem and a field commander have repeatedly declared that resistance operations will continue until the last Israeli soldier leaves Lebanese soil (reported at 19:13 and 21:44 Jerusalem on Sunday and Friday respectively). A separate, unattributed background report on June 15 suggested Israeli sources believed Israel would not withdraw but would also not strike if a ceasefire held. Smotrich's Tuesday statement appears to reject any middle-ground compromise.
The Israeli government has not yet made a formal cabinet-level decision on a full withdrawal timeline. The statement reflects the position of the far-right wing of the coalition and may not represent a unified government policy.
- ConfirmedSmotrich: Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon, deepening rift with US over Iran deal
- DevelopingDefense Minister: Israel has no intention of withdrawing from Beaufort security zone in Lebanon
- StrongIsrael will not leave Lebanon but won't strike if ceasefire holds, sources say
- StrongKatz: IDF to remain up to Beaufort heights, any ceasefire violation met with force
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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