Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared on June 24 that Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon even if the United States demands it, during a public event in Tel Aviv [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Israel has maintained a security zone in southern Lebanon since early March following Hezbollah rocket attacks that triggered renewed fighting in the region [1, 2, 3, 6, 5].
The conflict began on March 2, 2026, when Hezbollah launched rockets in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, prompting Israeli invasion into southern Lebanon [2]. Since then, Israeli air strikes have killed over 4,100 people and wounded more than 12,000, displacing over one million people including approximately 200,000 from the security zone [6, 5, 3].
Despite a peace accord signed by the US and Iran on June 17 aiming to extend the ceasefire and restart political talks in the Middle East, Israeli leaders remain firm in holding territory in southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Katz have affirmed Israel’s control over these areas regardless of the accord [1, 2, 6, 5]. Katz emphasized that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are prepared and unwilling to retreat, saying, "We announced that in any case we are not withdrawing, and as of this moment – and this is a political achievement – there is no American demand for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon" [2]. Other sources note Israel says it would not pull out even if the US demanded it [3].
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich added on June 23 that Israel will continue full military operations in Lebanon and will not withdraw until Hezbollah is fully dismantled, not just disarmed. He said, "We do not only want Hezbollah to be stripped of its weapons, but to be fully dismantled, not be part of the government in Lebanon, and not have any military force that threatens Israel" [6, 7].
Israel maintains its troops are protecting northern Israeli communities and preventing attacks by controlling the southern Lebanon security zone [3, 5]. Katz pointed to past incidents where civilian populations in security zones were targeted by explosives and attacks, explaining, "The soldiers are inside, the population is outside, the infrastructure is destroyed and the houses are demolished. We will not withdraw" [5].
Meanwhile, Lebanese politicians have demanded Israeli troop withdrawal for a ceasefire to hold, but Israel insists it will only leave once Hezbollah is fully disarmed and dismantled [3]. The ongoing US-mediated Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington between June 23-25 focus on possible Israeli withdrawal and handing over some territory to Lebanese army control, though Hezbollah is excluded from these discussions [1, 2, 5].
Despite the ceasefire agreed in the US-Iran peace deal, an Israeli drone strike killed two people in southern Lebanon on June 24, further complicating efforts to stabilize the region [3, 8]. The talks continue as tensions remain high and casualties mount.
