Defense Minister Yisrael Katz made it clear today (Friday), after the ceasefire with Lebanon, that the IDF will continue to hold all the places it has cleared and occupied. According to him, the goal of disarming the terrorist organization Hezbollah through military or political means was and remains the goal of the campaign to which the government is committed.
Minister Katz: "We are inside Lebanon in the midst of a war against Hezbollah with a freeze on the situation and a ceasefire for ten days. The IDF holds and will continue to hold all the places it has cleared and occupied.".
He said, "The ground maneuver into Lebanon and the attack on Hezbollah throughout Lebanon have achieved many achievements - but are not yet complete.".
He elaborated: "Over 1,700 terrorists were eliminated - more than twice as many as in the Second Lebanon War, and a security zone was created, held by the IDF, which reaches a depth of 10 km from the border line to the 'anti-tank line' and extends from the west by the sea to the Hermon area in the east - in order to remove threats of invasion and protect against direct fire at the settlements.".
Katz added: "The security zone has been cleared of terrorists and weapons and is empty of residents and will continue to be cleared of terrorist infrastructure, including the destruction of the houses in the Lebanese contact villages that have become terror outposts in every sense of the word.".
However, he admitted: "The security zone between the security zone and the Litani line, which is currently under fire control by our forces, is still not cleared of terrorists and weapons, and this will have to be done through diplomatic means or through continued IDF military activity after the ceasefire ends.".
""Should the fire resume - those residents who return to the security zone will be required to evacuate, in order to enable the completion of the mission. Also, the attack on Hezbollah's launch areas and power centers across the Litani and throughout Lebanon, which we began and planned to advance with great intensity - has now been stopped before it achieved its objectives and will have to be resumed and carried out.".
The Minister of Defense emphasized: "The goal we defined - disarming Hezbollah by military or political means - was and remains the goal of the campaign to which we are committed - with significant political leverage now also being created with the direct involvement of the US President and commitment to this goal - while applying pressure on the Lebanese government.".
""I strengthen the residents of the north and salute them for their heroic stand. We promised security to the residents of the north and so we will do.".
Join the Haredim 10 Facebook page >>
Join the X page of Haredim 10 >>
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
