Destruction in the village of Arnoun, seen from the nearby town of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon, Aug. 11, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Wednesday that Israeli forces would remain in a so-called “security zone” in southern Lebanon, prompting a sharp rebuke from Washington, which said a permanent military presence would violate commitments made under the US-brokered framework between Beirut and Tel Aviv.
During a visit to Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, Katz said Israel was “not withdrawing” from the area and had instructed the army to prepare for a long-term presence. He also said Israeli forces would remain in security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.
“We will in no way withdraw from the security zones: not in Lebanon, not in Syria, and not in Gaza,” Katz said, adding that the military was “destroying the underground infrastructure” in southern Lebanon and “destroying all the houses” in certain areas.
The security zone extends roughly 10 kilometers (six miles) into Lebanese territory.
The comments came nearly two months after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a U.S.-sponsored framework providing for the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese Army, initially through designated “pilot zones.” The United States is expected to host new Israel-Lebanon talks in Rome in early September.
The U.S. State Department pushed back against Katz’s remarks, saying they were inconsistent with the framework and Israel’s stated position that it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon.
“The U.S. expects all parties to act in any manner consistent with the framework they agreed to,” a State Department official said. “A permanent military presence in south Lebanon is not consistent with the commitments made in the framework or the long-term peace and security of both states.”
Washington also reaffirmed its support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying the agreement provides a “conditions-based path for progressive redeployment” linked to verified Hezbollah disarmament and the dismantling of its infrastructure.
“The Lebanese Armed Forces are implementing the first pilot zone, and the United States will continue to support full implementation of that process,” the official added.
Katz’s remarks further complicate negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv, as Lebanon has demanded further Israeli withdrawals while Israel has insisted that Hezbollah’s disarmament must be verified first.
