Netanyahu Visits Southern Lebanon, Says Israel Will Stay Until Hezbollah Threat Removed Under New U.S. Security Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Lebanese territory occupied by Israeli forces on Tuesday, telling soldiers that Israel would not withdraw from southern Lebanon as long as Iran-backed Hezbollah continued to pose a threat, Al-Monitor reported.

-mediated security agreement last Friday. Under that accord, Israeli forces are to withdraw from two pilot zones and hand control to Lebanon's army.

"Our insistence is that we will not leave southern Lebanon until the threat is removed," Netanyahu told troops, according to a statement from his office. " Netanyahu was accompanied by Defence Minister Israel Katz and senior military officials. He last publicly visited the occupied Lebanese territory in April.

Israel created a buffer zone roughly 10 km into Lebanon along the full length of the border after invading on March 2 in response to a Hezbollah attack. The military has conducted raids and destroyed infrastructure it says Hezbollah used, including tunnels. Over 4,000 Lebanese have been killed and more than a million displaced since March, Al-Monitor reported.

At least 32 Israeli soldiers and four Israeli civilians have been killed by Hezbollah, most in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu told the troops that Hezbollah still possesses around 12,000 rockets and missiles and that Israeli forces have killed 9,000 militants in Lebanon. Israel agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah on June 19 under U.S.

Pressure, though violence has continued. Hezbollah has objected to the bilateral talks between Israel and Lebanon and is not participating in them.