Israel has pushed back against US President Donald Trump's assertion that Israeli troops are set to withdraw from southern Lebanon, with Defence Minister Israel Katz insisting the military will remain deployed for as long as necessary to counter Hezbollah.
"We did not ask anyone's permission to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to stay in Lebanon," Katz said in a statement on Thursday, according to The Times of Israel.
Katz said Israel had both the "right and duty" to protect its citizens from Hezbollah, describing the Iran-backed group as a continuing security threat.
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"As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have clarified, we will continue to stay in the security zone in Lebanon and to act from it as needed, until Hezbollah is disarmed in all of Lebanon and the threat to the residents of the north is removed," he added.
His remarks came a day after Trump said he believed Israel was preparing to leave Lebanon following discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Yeah, I think they're going to. I think they want to," Trump told reporters at the NATO summit, adding that Israel and Lebanon were "getting along" and "signing deals." "They'll leave. And I think it's going to work out very well," he said.
However, Israeli leaders have consistently maintained that any withdrawal will depend on Hezbollah no longer posing a threat.
Last week, Netanyahu visited Israeli-controlled positions inside Lebanese territory and told troops that Israel would not pull out of southern Lebanon while Hezbollah remained active.
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Israel and Lebanon reached a US-mediated security agreement on June 26 under which Israel agreed to transfer control of two areas to the Lebanese army. Despite that agreement, Israeli officials say military operations in southern Lebanon will continue until their security objectives are achieved.
Meanwhile, Al-Jazeera reported that Amnesty International has accused Israel of wiping out families in its attacks on Lebanon, alleging violations of international humanitarian law and urging that the strikes be investigated as war crimes. The rights group also called on countries to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel and prosecute those responsible under universal jurisdiction.
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