Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the army would maintain its presence in the security zones it controls in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip. Katz delivered the message in a video address filmed in an area under Israeli army control in southern Lebanon.
The statement came despite an agreement with Beirut that envisaged a phased withdrawal. Katz argued that the Israeli army needed to remain in these areas to protect settlements in the north.
The line in southern Lebanon
Katz said the Israeli army was conducting military maneuvers in southern Lebanon. During his speech, the Israeli minister pointed to the route of the Litani River and claimed that the army had won the war against Hezbollah.
Israel Katz also said that Beaufort Castle, also known as Shakif Castle, was under the control of the Israeli army. Katz said Hezbollah's deployment areas in the region could be monitored from this location.
According to the Israeli minister, the security zone in Lebanon stretches from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to Beaufort Castle in the east and the entrances to Mount Sheikh. In some sections, the line extends for approximately 10 kilometers.
Security zones in Syria and Gaza
Katz said the Israeli army would also not withdraw from the security zones it controls in Syria and the Gaza Strip.
The line in Syria covers areas controlled by Israel after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024. These areas include the buffer zone envisaged under the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement, some strategic points in the countryside of Quneitra and Daraa, and the area around Mount Sheikh.
The security line in the Gaza Strip consists of buffer zones created by the Israeli army. According to Israeli estimates, these areas cover between 50 and 70 percent of the Gaza Strip's area.
Following the July 31 road map
Israel Katz's statement came after the road map published on July 31. The plan envisaged a phased withdrawal from Gaza, with the process to proceed in parallel with the disarmament of Hamas.
Katz argued that the lesson drawn from the October 7, 2023 attack was that the Israeli army needed to remain in these areas to protect the population. The Israeli minister claimed that the army's presence in the region provided protection against infiltration attempts and armed attacks.
