Defense Minister Rejects Withdrawal from Lebanon, Warns Iran Over Any Attack

Defense Minister Israel Katz said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are pursuing a clear policy under which the IDF will stay in security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely to protect Israeli border communities from jihadist groups. He said the areas will be cleared of local residents and all terror infrastructure, above and below ground, including houses in border villages that were used as terror outposts, will be destroyed. Katz said this is the main lesson of the October 7 attacks.

According to Katz, holding territory and security zones is one of the IDF’s biggest achievements in the “War of Revival” under political direction. For that reason, he said, Israel opposes any withdrawal from Lebanon despite current and future pressure. He added that Netanyahu has already made Israel’s position clear to US President Donald Trump and other senior American officials, and that he repeated it yesterday to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Katz said the IDF backs this approach professionally and militarily. He challenged opposition figures who question the policy and support an IDF withdrawal to state their position publicly so the public can judge the competing views. He said Israel will not compromise on its “supreme security interest” or on protecting its citizens, and will not leave the security zones.

Katz also warned that if Iran attacks Israel because of events in Lebanon, Israel will strike back “with full force” and show Tehran the power gap between the two sides. He said Israel is committed only to its citizens and the security of the state.