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

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has walked back his earlier statements about an indefinite Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon, saying on Thursday that any withdrawal would be contingent on Hezbollah's disarmament and the removal of what he described as the group's threat across Lebanon.

Katz stated that Israel "will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon unless Hezbollah is disarmed and the threat posed by the group throughout Lebanon is eliminated." He added that he had instructed the military to prepare for an extended deployment in the area.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the establishment of an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Katz said: "I have instructed the army to prepare for a prolonged presence in the area to protect our combat forces and communities, until this goal is fully achieved."

His revised comments came after US criticism of remarks he made on Wednesday during a visit to southern Lebanon, where he said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been "unequivocal... that Israeli forces will not withdraw from this security zone," adding: "We will clear this area and ensure the security of northern residents."

A US State Department official responded that a permanent Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon would not be consistent with commitments outlined in an agreement Israel, with US backing, reached with the Lebanese government.

The official said the agreement calls for a phased Israeli withdrawal linked to verification of Hezbollah's disarmament, adding: "The United States expects all parties to act in accordance with the agreed framework, and Israel has made clear it has no designs on Lebanese territory."

The US-brokered agreement between Lebanon and Israel stipulates a cessation of hostilities, with Israeli forces remaining in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed and the Lebanese army takes control of the south—a process that includes so-called "pilot areas."

A deal reached on June 26 through US mediation ties the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon to the government's verification of the disarmament of all non-state armed groups. Hezbollah, which was not a party to the agreement, has refused to disarm.

In a related development, a Lebanese official on Thursday denied a Reuters report that Lebanon had agreed with Israel on a shortlist of countries eligible to send forces to verify Hezbollah's disarmament, stressing that Beirut is following up on the issue with Washington.

These developments come as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, to which Katz belongs, seeks to bolster its security credentials with voters ahead of elections scheduled for October 27—the first in Israel since the October 7, 2023, attacks led by Hamas.

Earlier this year, Israel occupied part of southern Lebanon during a conflict with Hezbollah, announcing it would keep forces there to protect northern Israel from the group's attacks. The Israeli campaign has displaced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians.