Tel Aviv, June 4: Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced on Thursday that military operations in southern Lebanon will persist despite a recently agreed ceasefire. He stated that the military campaign will continue, and displaced Lebanese citizens will not be allowed to return home at this time.
Katz’s remarks followed a day after Lebanon and Israel reached an agreement in Washington to implement a ceasefire, contingent on Hezbollah ceasing its fire.
In a statement, Katz emphasized that Israeli troops would remain in the so-called “security zone” established in southern Lebanon, which includes the area around the Beaufort Castle. Israel captured this nearly 900-year-old fortress on Saturday, May 30.
He further noted that Israel would continue operations to “destroy terrorist infrastructure” in the region. With U.S. support, Israel will have the freedom to respond to any attacks on its territories in Beirut.
Meanwhile, Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, criticized the U.S.-mediated Israel-Lebanon agreement, labeling it a “major mistake.” He claimed that the deal is the result of “fantasies” from advisors leading the Prime Minister to make poor decisions.
Ben Gvir expressed on social media platform X, “Hezbollah will only grow stronger, and instead of defeating it, Israel is accepting its existence.” He added, “There are times when even the President of the United States must say ‘no.’ If we do not, we will face Hezbollah in a much more powerful and dangerous form next time.”
In the meantime, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), an Israeli drone strike targeting a vehicle on the Jefta-Kfarwa road in southern Lebanon resulted in several injuries. This attack occurred at a time when both Israeli and Lebanese governments had agreed to cease hostilities and implement a ceasefire following meetings mediated by U.S. officials in Washington, D.C.
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