Defense Minister Says Israel Will Keep Security Zones and Warns Iran Against Attack

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday morning that Israel will not withdraw from the security zones its forces captured in the war, after a new agreement between the United States and Iran was completed. In his first public response from a senior Israeli official, Katz said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are leading a clear policy under which the IDF will remain in security areas in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza “without time limit.” He said the purpose is to protect Israel’s border and communities from jihadist groups.

Katz added that the territory will be cleared of local residents and that all terrorist infrastructure, above and below ground, will be destroyed, including houses in border villages that were used as terror outposts. He said this is “the main lesson” from the October 7 attacks. He also insisted that the new territorial control is “one of the greatest achievements” of the IDF in the war, under political leadership.

His remarks came after President Donald Trump announced the U.S.-Iran deal overnight, which includes opening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the naval blockade. The agreement drew sharp criticism in Israel, including from opposition figures such as Gadi Eisenkot, who called it a “failure.” Katz challenged opponents to state their position openly if they back an IDF withdrawal, saying the public should be able to judge the competing views.

Katz said Israel will not compromise on its “supreme security interest” and will not withdraw from the security zones, despite pressure that he expects to continue. He said Netanyahu had already conveyed this stance to Trump and other American officials, and that he personally told U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth the day before. Katz ended with a direct warning to Iran: if it attacks Israel because of events in Lebanon, Israel will strike back “with full force” and make the power imbalance clear.