Israeli Minister Says Troops Face No Limits in Southern Lebanon Security Zone

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said there are no restrictions preventing Israeli soldiers from acting against threats in southern Lebanon. Troops remain in an area described as a security zone, the minister stated. The comments came one day after a ceasefire took effect between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The truce ended months of escalating violence that included an Israeli ground invasion of parts of southern Lebanon.

Israeli air raids killed dozens of people in Lebanon on Saturday, the day after the ceasefire began. Israel's military said the strikes responded to projectiles fired by Hezbollah at its troops. Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported at least 20 people killed. An Israeli official described the targets as Hezbollah infrastructure.

Hezbollah maintains it has the right to fight Israeli forces inside Lebanon but would halt attacks on northern Israel. Katz said Israeli troops would remain in all positions along what Israel calls the Yellow Line, about 10 km (6 miles) into southern Lebanon.

"All of the IDF's achievements in the campaign in Lebanon are being preserved, with our forces deployed in the security zone along the Yellow Line in Lebanon and operating from there inward against terrorists and terrorist infrastructures," he said in Sunday's statement.

Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt met in Cairo to discuss regional developments and implementation of the Islamabad MoU. Iranian officials have said Lebanon is the focal point for Sunday's peace talks with the United States in Switzerland.

Gaza's Health Ministry reported at least nine Palestinians killed and 41 injured in Israeli attacks across the strip in the latest 24-hour period.