Israeli defense minister Yisrael Katz backtracks on remarks about indefinite presence in southern Lebanon after US criticism

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has retracted his previous claims about prolonged Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon, linking the withdrawal to Hezbollah's disarmament. Speaking at a ceremony in the occupied West Bank, Katz stated that Israel would not remain in the security zone unless Hezbollah is disarmed and the associated threat across Lebanon is eliminated.

He also instructed the military to prepare for a prolonged deployment to protect their forces and communities until this aim is fully accomplished.

Katz's revised remarks followed US criticism of his Wednesday statement during a visit to southern Lebanon, where he had asserted that Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were "unequivocal" that Israeli forces would not withdraw from the security zone. The US State Department official responded that a permanent Israeli military presence would not be in line with commitments from an agreement between Israel, the US, and Lebanon.

This agreement stipulates a phased withdrawal contingent upon Hezbollah's disarmament and the Lebanese army's control over the south—a process involving so-called "pilot areas."

The US-brokered deal between Lebanon and Israel calls for a cessation of hostilities, with Israeli forces in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed and the government verifies this. However, Hezbollah, not a party to the agreement, has refused to disarm. A Lebanese official denied a Reuters report that Lebanon had agreed on a shortlist of countries to verify Hezbollah's disarmament, stressing that Beirut is still coordinating with Washington on the matter.

These developments occur as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party aims to strengthen its security appeal with voters ahead of elections scheduled for October 27—the first since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks. In June, Israel briefly occupied parts of southern Lebanon during a conflict with Hezbollah, promising to keep forces there to safeguard northern Israel from the group's attacks, displacing hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians.