Katz Threatens a Forceful Response if Iran Attacks, Despite US-Iran Deal

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Monday morning that Israel would strike Iran “with all the force” if Tehran attacked over events in Lebanon. He said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he are pursuing a clear policy that the IDF will remain indefinitely in security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza to protect Israel’s border communities from jihadist groups.

Katz said those areas would be cleared of local residents and of all terror infrastructure, above and below ground, including houses in border villages that served as terror outposts. He called this the main lesson of the October 7 attacks and said territorial control and security zones are among the IDF’s major achievements in what he called the “war of rebirth.” He added that Israel opposes an IDF withdrawal from Lebanon despite pressure, and that Netanyahu had conveyed this position to US President Donald Trump and other American officials, while Katz himself told US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the same thing on Sunday.

Katz also challenged opposition figures who support an IDF pullback to say so publicly so voters can compare positions. “We will not compromise on Israel’s supreme security interest and the protection of our citizens, and we will not withdraw from the security zones,” he said.

The remarks came after Trump announced overnight that “the deal with Iran is complete,” declared the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and said he had removed the naval blockade on Iran. He claimed Netanyahu backs the agreement because Iran cannot obtain nuclear weapons, and the New York Times reported that Iran canceled a planned attack on Israel after Trump sent restraint messages through intermediaries. The report said Tehran was divided between advocates of military retaliation and those warning it could jeopardize talks with Washington.

Trump later told the New York Times the deal would keep the Strait of Hormuz tariff-free permanently, warned the US could resume attacks if no final nuclear deal is reached, praised Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping for helping broker the arrangement, and harshly criticized Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Israel’s government extended the special home-front emergency regime until the end of the month. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council also announced an agreement, saying military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, would stop immediately and permanently, the naval blockade would be lifted at once, formal signing would take place on Friday, June 29, and final talks would be postponed until after the other side fulfills its commitments.