DM Katz: IDF will have security control up to Litani in southern Lebanon
The Israeli defense minister says the IDF will control the area up to the Litani and block civilian return until northern Israel is deemed secure
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that the IDF plans to establish a security zone inside southern Lebanon at the end of its ongoing operation, including maintaining control over territory up to the Litani River. Speaking after a high-level situation assessment, Katz said the move is intended to protect northern Israeli communities and remove threats posed by Hezbollah.
“At the end of the operation, the IDF will be positioned in a security area inside Lebanon… and will have security control over the entire area up to the Litani,” Katz said. He added that the military presence would serve as a defensive line against anti-tank missiles and ensure long-term security control in the sector.
Katz also stated that the return of more than 600,000 displaced residents of southern Lebanon to areas south of the Litani would be “completely prohibited” until Israel determines that northern communities are safe. He further said that houses in Lebanese villages near the border would be demolished “in accordance with the Rafah and Beit Hanoun models in Gaza” in order to eliminate what he described as threats near the border.
The remarks came following a security assessment held with senior IDF officials. The discussions focused on ongoing operations in southern Lebanon and broader strategic objectives.
Katz said Israeli forces are continuing ground operations in Lebanese villages, targeting Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure. “The maneuvering forces are entering the villages with great force… clearing them of Hezbollah terrorists and destroying the terrorist infrastructures established there,” he said. He added that the IDF is also addressing incoming fire from other areas in Lebanon and plans to intensify those efforts.
The defense minister framed the campaign as part of a broader effort to counter Iran’s influence in the region. “We are determined to separate Lebanon from the Iranian arena… and to uproot the snake's teeth and remove Hezbollah's threat capability,” Katz said, adding that Israel aims to establish “strict enforcement and absolute deterrence,” similar to its posture in Syria and Gaza.
Katz reiterated that the objective of the operation is to ensure the safety of northern Israeli residents. “The IDF will protect the residents and communities from within enemy territory,” he said. “We promised to protect the communities of the north, and that is exactly what we will do.”