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Israeli Defense Minister Says Forces Will Stay in Southern Lebanon
Israel Katz stated that the military will not withdraw even if the United States demands it. The remark follows U.S.-Iran talks that produced plans for a Lebanon deconfliction cell excluding Israel.
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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military will not withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon even if the United States demands it. The statement was issued on or before June 24, 2026. -Iran talks held in Geneva on June 22 produced an agreement to create a deconfliction cell for Lebanon.
The cell will include the United States, Iran, the Lebanese government, Qatar, and Pakistan. Israel is not a member. Israeli forces have conducted operations in southern Lebanon since March 2, 2026, in response to Hezbollah attacks.
The last Israeli strike on a Hezbollah command center in Beirut occurred on June 14. Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva said any further Israeli attacks on Lebanon, including Beirut and southern Lebanon, would cross Iran’s red line.
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LeftNeutralRightStrategic security postureDiplomatic defiance
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LeftNeutralRightSecurity postureDefiance
CorroborationLimited · 5 sources
