JERUSALEM: Israel's defence minister said Monday that Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely, hours after the United States and Iran agreed to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are pursuing a clear policy under which the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for an unlimited period of time, in order to protect the border and Israeli communities from there against jihadist elements," Israel Katz said in a statement that did not make any reference to the US-Iran deal.
"The area will be cleared of local residents, and all terrorist infrastructure, both above and below ground -- including the houses in the frontline villages that served as terrorist outposts -- will be destroyed.
"Holding territory and maintaining security zones are among the IDF's greatest achievements... therefore we oppose an IDF withdrawal from Lebanon, despite all the existing pressures and those that will come," Katz said, adding that Netanyahu had informed President Donald Trump about this.
Katz also warned Iran that if the Islamic republic attacked Israel in response to its campaign in Lebanon, Israel would retaliate with "full force".
"We will not compromise on Israel's paramount security interest and the protection of our citizens, and we will not withdraw from the security zones," he said.
"If Iran attacks Israel over the events in Lebanon, we will strike it with full force and clearly demonstrate the disparity in our capabilities."
Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, on Monday denounced the deal between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon, insisting his country was not bound by it.
"Trump's agreement does not bind us... We are not party to this agreement. It does not safeguard our security," Ben Gvir said on his Telegram channel.