By Gloria Ogbonna
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, reaffirming his government’s commitment to maintaining a military presence in the region until the threat posed by Hezbollah has been eliminated.
The visit comes as Israel continues an extended military campaign against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that has long operated along Israel’s northern border. Israeli officials argue that Hezbollah’s military infrastructure poses a direct threat to Israeli communities and say preventing future cross-border attacks remains one of the country’s top national security priorities.
Addressing soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deployed in southern Lebanon, Netanyahu praised their efforts and declared that Israel would not withdraw from the territory while Hezbollah continues to maintain armed positions near the border.
“We will not leave southern Lebanon until the threat has been eliminated. And as long as Hezbollah remains here, armed and threatening us, we will remain here as well,” Netanyahu told the troops, according to Israeli media.
The prime minister also instructed Israeli forces to respond immediately to any perceived threats against themselves or their fellow soldiers, emphasizing that the military should continue acting decisively to protect Israeli security.
“If you identify a threat to your security, to your lives, or to the lives of your soldiers,” Netanyahu said, “act immediately.”
During his remarks, Netanyahu also directed criticism toward Iran, which Israel accuses of funding, arming, and supporting Hezbollah for decades. He said Israel’s ongoing operations were intended not only to weaken Hezbollah but also to diminish Iran’s influence in Lebanon.
“We are telling both Iran and Hezbollah: ‘Leave this place. You have no business being here.’ This is a slap in the face, a punch in the face of the Iranian axis,” Netanyahu declared.
Following his visit, Netanyahu reiterated in televised remarks that Israel’s military campaign would continue as part of a broader effort to dismantle what he described as the remaining elements of the Iranian-backed regional network while also pursuing future peace opportunities with neighboring countries.
The prime minister also highlighted recent discussions between Israel and the Lebanese government, describing them as an important step toward addressing Hezbollah’s influence through diplomatic channels alongside military operations.
The visit comes against the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic efforts involving the United States, Israel, Lebanon, and Iran. Since a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was announced earlier this year, negotiations have sought to reduce regional tensions. Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted that any long-term agreement should include an end to Israeli military operations inside Lebanon, arguing that the conflict has displaced large numbers of civilians and caused widespread destruction in communities across southern Lebanon.
Israeli leaders, however, have maintained that military operations cannot end until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat to northern Israel.
Rather than agreeing to a complete withdrawal, Israel and Lebanon recently reached a U.S.-brokered security framework intended to establish a roadmap for improving border security and eventually ending Israel’s military presence in Lebanese territory. Under the agreement, two designated “pilot zones” will initially remain under Israeli security control while the Lebanese military gradually prepares to assume responsibility for preventing Hezbollah from reestablishing a presence there.
Israeli officials have described the agreement as an important diplomatic breakthrough that allows direct cooperation between Jerusalem and Beirut without Iranian involvement.
“This is also a major blow to Iran,” Netanyahu said after the agreement was announced. “Iran is trying to force us to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Israel, Lebanon and the United States are telling Iran that it has no role in Lebanon, nor does Hezbollah or any terrorist organization.”
Netanyahu credited Israeli troops for creating the security conditions that made negotiations with Lebanon possible.
“As a result of your actions here, Lebanon recognizes Israel, Israel recognizes Lebanon,” he told the soldiers during his visit.
Despite the signing of the security framework, Israeli officials have indicated that implementation will take time. Reports on Wednesday suggested Israel will retain control of the designated pilot zones until a joint Israeli-Lebanese monitoring mechanism is established to verify that Hezbollah does not return to the area.
According to Israeli reports, the proposed monitoring system would oversee the dismantling of Hezbollah tunnels, missile launch sites, weapons depots, and other military infrastructure while improving coordination between the Israeli and Lebanese armed forces.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has also emphasized that Israel intends to maintain security buffer zones along parts of the border, stating that the country would continue its presence regardless of outside pressure.
Netanyahu echoed that position in recent remarks, saying his government remains committed to maintaining a security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to protect Israeli citizens.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has publicly expressed concern about the duration and intensity of Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon. Speaking during the G7 summit in June, Trump questioned whether Israel’s operations had become overly destructive and suggested more targeted approaches should be pursued to combat Hezbollah while minimizing civilian casualties.
Despite international pressure and ongoing diplomatic negotiations, Israel has continued to insist that any future withdrawal from southern Lebanon will depend on lasting security guarantees and the complete removal of Hezbollah’s military capabilities from the border region.
Israeli leaders maintain that preventing another large-scale cross-border attack remains their foremost objective as military operations and diplomatic talks continue simultaneously.
Source Breitbart
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