Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and Deputy Chief of Staff Tamir Yaday, announced during a field visit to southern Lebanon that Israel will maintain its military presence in the region. Netanyahu emphasized that the Israeli army will not withdraw from Lebanese territory as long as Hezbollah maintains its military capacity.
The Prime Minister stated that Israeli forces have been instructed to act immediately against any threat, saying, "If you detect a threat to your security, your life, or your soldiers, do not wait. Act. That is the order."
Assessment of Iran and Hezbollah
Netanyahu described Israeli operations as "targeting the Iran axis." He said, "What we did was begin to destroy the Iran axis. We attacked Iran itself, no one believed it. We have removed an existential threat."
Providing striking figures regarding Hezbollah's military strength, the Israeli Prime Minister claimed the group once had 150,000 missiles, representing "the most concentrated missile concentration on earth." He asserted that Hezbollah currently has only 8 percent of those missiles.
Netanyahu also noted that Israeli forces have killed approximately 9,000 Hezbollah members and conducted additional operations in recent weeks, though these claims have not been verified by independent sources.
Security Zones and Doctrinal Change
Netanyahu said Israel's greatest achievement was creating "buffer security zones" inside Lebanese territory. "The main thing you have done is create security zones not on our side of the border, but on their side. We are doing this in Lebanon, and we have done it in Gaza," he said.
The Prime Minister stated that these zones represent a change in Israel's security doctrine, saying that Hezbollah fighters "will never again stand at our borders."
Future with Lebanon and Criticism of the Agreement
Netanyahu said that Israel recognizes Lebanon and Lebanon recognizes Israel, adding, "We all tell Hezbollah and Iran: 'Get out of here, there is no place for you here.' We want to make peace between us and bring prosperity back to our northern residents and the people of Lebanon."
Meanwhile, the "framework agreement" signed between Lebanon and Israel on June 26 under US mediation envisions a "gradual" Israeli withdrawal starting from two pilot areas. However, the agreement does not provide a clear timeline for withdrawal from these areas or all of Lebanese territory, linking withdrawal to the Lebanese army's full assumption of security control and the disarmament of non-state armed groups, particularly Hezbollah.
Widespread criticism of the agreement continues in Lebanese public opinion. Critics warn that the text could make the occupation of areas recently seized by Israel permanent, lead to forced displacement, and result in the abandonment of the rights of Lebanese prisoners and legal avenues for accountability.
Netanyahu concluded his remarks by reiterating that Israel will remain in southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah continues its armed presence.
