Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke Thursday evening at a paratroopers officers' graduation ceremony at Bahad 1, using the platform to address the security tensions surrounding the Lebanon ceasefire and to issue a direct threat to Iran. He said the IDF would remain in security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza “for an unlimited time” in order to protect Israeli residents and communities from “jihadist elements.”
Katz stressed that Israel would not compromise on its top security interest, protecting soldiers and civilians, and would not withdraw from those security zones. He said commanders and fighters have full backing to complete their missions and defend themselves and Israeli citizens. “The lives of our fighters are a supreme value,” he said, adding that for the prime minister, for him, for the chief of staff and for the entire IDF chain of command, the safety of commanders and soldiers comes before everything else.
He added that the guidance is clear: no operational, political or other constraint justifies unnecessary risk to IDF troops. Katz also sent a message to Tehran, saying that if Iran attacks Israel because of its actions in Lebanon, or for any other reason, Israel will strike back “with full force” in a way that will make the power gap between the two countries unmistakable.
Katz concluded that the coming years will bring new challenges, but the IDF’s strength will remain decisive for Israel’s survival and prosperity. He said that maintaining and strengthening that power depends first and foremost on its people, especially the young commanders, and that Israel has no greater qualitative advantage than its soldiers and officers.
