Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the nation’s military forces will maintain their presence in Southern Lebanon to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, despite the ongoing ten-day ceasefire.
“The IDF will retain control over all areas they have cleared and secured,” Katz stated in a Friday release.
“The incursion into Lebanon and the widespread attacks on Hezbollah have yielded significant results, yet the operation is far from over,” he added.
Israel and Lebanon reached a ten-day ceasefire agreement on Thursday, facilitated by discussions involving US President Donald Trump and the leaders of both countries.
Katz reported that over 1,700 Hezbollah fighters have been killed during the current military offensive—more than twice the number lost in the 2006 Second Lebanon War.
He explained that Israel has established a security buffer zone approximately ten kilometers deep from the border, stretching from the coast of the Mediterranean to the Mount Hermon area, aimed at thwarting infiltration and preventing direct anti-tank attacks on northern Israeli communities.
“The security zone has been cleared of terrorists and weapons and will continue to be cleared of terror infrastructure,” Katz said, adding that areas between the security zone and the Litani River remain under Israeli fire control but have not yet been fully demilitarized.
Katz emphasized that Israel remains committed to the central war aim of disarming Hezbollah, whether through diplomatic pressure or continued military operations.
“The objective we defined—the disarmament of Hezbollah by military or diplomatic means—remains the goal of the campaign,” he said.
“A significant diplomatic lever has now been created through direct involvement of the president of the United States and pressure on the Lebanese government.”
The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States agreed on Tuesday that their countries would hold direct negotiations following the first meeting between the two sides since 1993.
The defense minister praised residents of northern Israel for their resilience during months of attacks.
“I strengthen the residents of the north and salute their steadfastness,” Katz said.
“We promised security for the residents of the north, and we will deliver.”
