Israel intends to occupy part of southern Lebanon once the war is over, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday, quoted by AFP, according to Agerpres.
“Upon the conclusion of this operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will deploy in the security zone inside Lebanon on a defensive line against anti-tank missiles and maintain security control throughout the area up to the Litani River,” about 30 km north of the Israel-Lebanon demarcation line, Katz said in a video released by his office.
“The return to the south of Litani of the more than 600,000 residents of southern Lebanon who were evacuated to the north will be completely prevented as long as the security and safety of the residents of northern Israel is not guaranteed,” Katz added.
“All houses in the (Lebanese) settlements adjacent to the border with Israel will be demolished along the lines of Rafah and Beit Hanoum in the Gaza Strip to eliminate once and for all any threat along the border to the (Israeli) residents of the north,” Katz added, referring to two towns in the Palestinian enclave devastated by Israeli military operations in its war against Hamas after October 7, 2023.
Lebanon was drawn into the war waged by Israel and the US against Iran after the attack launched by the Islamist group Hezbollah on March 2 against Israel in retaliation for the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the conflict.
Since then, massive Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 1,200 people and injured more than 3,600, according to the latest tally from the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The Israeli army claims to have eliminated 850 terrorists in Lebanon.
