Israel commits to keep forces in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli‑occupied southern Lebanon and warned that Israel will not withdraw its troops while Hezbollah remains a threat. He said, “We will stay as long as the threat exists.”

On Friday the United States mediated a security agreement between Israel and Lebanon in Washington. The pact conditions the withdrawal of Israeli forces on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the handover of two “pilot zones” to the Lebanese army. Israeli forces have also destroyed a deep underground Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese Parliament speaker Nabeih Mberi, a Hezbollah ally, publicly rejected the deal, claiming it does not safeguard Lebanon’s sovereignty. Hezbollah itself has denounced the agreement. The conflict, which began on 2 March after Hezbollah rockets responded to a U.S.–Israel strike on Iran, has killed more than 4 000 Lebanese and displaced over a million, while at least 32 Israeli soldiers have died in attacks by Hezbollah.

The agreement aims to create a framework for lasting peace, but its implementation remains uncertain amid Lebanese political opposition and ongoing hostilities.