Israel's Defense Minister Katz Says No Withdrawal from Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza Despite US-Iran Deal

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(Tel Aviv, 15th - CNA综合外电报道) Shortly after the United States and Iran agreed to end Middle East conflicts, including the war in Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced today that Israeli forces will remain indefinitely in Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip.

According to reports from AFP and AP, Katz stated in a declaration: 'Prime Minister Netanyahu and I are advancing a clear policy: the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will remain indefinitely in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza to protect the border and Israeli communities, and to safeguard the area from threats by jihadists.' Katz did not mention the US-Iran agreement in his statement.

Katz also warned that if Iran attacks Israeli forces due to Israel's military operations in Lebanon, Israel will retaliate with 'full force.'

Over the past two and a half years, Israel has controlled approximately 1,000 square kilometers of territory across Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria—an area slightly smaller than New York City.

Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right Minister of National Security, also condemned the US-Iran agreement today, insisting that Israel is not bound by it.

Ben Gvir stated on the messaging app Telegram: 'Trump's agreement is not binding on us... We were not signatories to this agreement. It cannot guarantee our security.' This marks the first official response from Israeli officials regarding the deal. (Translation: Liu Shuqin) 1150615

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