Israel Defies US Call to Pull Troops from Lebanon as Turkey Seen Growing Threat

Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said the Israeli army will not withdraw from southern Lebanon even if the United States asks for a pull‑out, arguing that the forces are needed for security and that about 200,000 displaced residents cannot yet return home. He warned that past security‑zone experiences showed civilian presence can invite attacks on soldiers, and stressed that Israel will maintain its presence.

At the same time, a Marij analysis argues that Turkey now poses a larger danger to Israel than Iran. The report points to Turkey’s sizable NATO‑ranked army, near‑80 % self‑sufficiency in defence production, a growing arsenal that includes the domestically‑built Altay tank, a fleet of roughly 200 F‑16 fighters, multiple attack helicopters and a powerful navy with 16 submarines and various frigates. The article suggests that any future clash would likely be driven by Turkey’s naval capabilities.