On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said his country does not need anyone’s support to keep its military presence there
By Catholics for Catholics
In another sign that not all are tight-knit relations between the U.S and Israel, the Israeli Defense Minister spurned President Donald Trump’s recommendation that his country could retreat from southern Lebanon.
On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel does not need anyone’s support to keep its military presence there, according to a story by Newsmax.
“We didn’t ask for anyone’s approval to enter Lebanon, and we don’t need approval to stay in Lebanon,” Katz said in a statement, according to The Washington Examiner. “It is our right and duty to defend the residents of the Galilee and Israeli citizens from the threats of the jihadist terror group Hezbollah, which aims to destroy the State of Israel.”
Katz said Israel would continue to maintain a stronghold on its positions in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed and no longer presents a menace to northern Israel.
“As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have clarified, we will continue to stay in the security zone in Lebanon and to act from it as needed, until Hezbollah is disarmed in all of Lebanon and the threat to the residents of the north is removed,” he said.
Katz’s comments are in stark difference to Trump’s remarks, when the president spoke at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. He said he believed Israel was ready to leave southern Lebanon following discussions with Netanyahu.
“I talked to him about that. I think they’re going to. I think they want to,” Trump told reporters when asked whether Israel would withdraw. “They’re getting along with Lebanon; they’re signing deals with Lebanon.”
BREAKING: Trump on Lebanon:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 8, 2026
I think Israel is going to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/mMUrW39VQB
Still, not Netanyahu or any other senior Israeli officials have publicly hinted they mean to withdraw troops from the security zone along the Lebanese border.
Again and again Israeli leaders have said any withdrawal will be contingent on Hezbollah being disarmed and the threat to northern Israeli communities being eradicated.
Israel has stated that its ongoing military presence is essential to prevent Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist organization, from rebuilding its military capabilities near the border after months of fighting.
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