Army to remain in Lebanon indefinitely: Netanyahu

Photo: Collected

News Desk: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the Israeli military will remain in southern Lebanon “for as long as necessary” to ensure the security of residents in the country’s northern region. He also reaffirmed his commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, according to Dawn.

Speaking on Sunday (June 21), Netanyahu stated, “For the security of our beloved residents in the north and all citizens of Israel, we will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary. Nothing will deter us from this commitment.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that there are “no restrictions” on the activities of Israeli forces in addressing threats from Lebanon. He claimed that Israeli troops remain deployed in areas designated as security zones and are free to take whatever measures they deem necessary.

Earlier, although a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect on Friday, at least 20 people were reportedly killed in Lebanon on Saturday following attacks by Israeli forces.

Hezbollah Committed to Observing the Ceasefire

In an interview with Reuters, a Hezbollah official said that the group would continue to abide by the ceasefire as long as Israel does the same. However, he stressed that Israeli forces have no right to move freely in southern Lebanon.

The official added that Hezbollah fighters had not carried out any attacks against Israeli troops after 6:30 p.m. local time on Saturday.

Meanwhile, during a visit with troops stationed in southern Lebanon, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said that Hezbollah had suffered significant losses in its confrontation with Israeli forces and is currently in a “very difficult situation.”

“Hezbollah has sustained severe and substantial blows,” Zamir said. “We are prepared to prevent its reconstruction and, if necessary, to launch further operations.”