Israel confirms the continuation of its military operations in Lebanon and rules out withdrawal from the south at present

Jerusalem —
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed that his army will continue carrying out strikes inside Lebanese territory at the current stage, stressing that withdrawal from areas in southern Lebanon is not on the table at this time.

Katz's statements came despite the existing understandings regarding the ceasefire between the two sides, which are linked to Hezbollah's commitment to stop attacks across the border.

The Israeli minister said that his country will continue to act militarily against what it considers security threats, affirming that the current Israeli policy is based on preventing any repositioning or military activity that could pose a danger to the northern border.

These statements reflect the ongoing challenges facing the ceasefire agreement, amid differing interpretations among the parties about the implementation mechanisms and the commitments required from each side.

The Israeli stance comes at a time when international diplomatic efforts continue to stabilize the calm and prevent the return of wide-scale confrontations on the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Observers believe that the continuation of military strikes and the refusal to fully withdraw from some southern areas may keep the security situation fragile and increase the difficulty of transitioning from the phase of halting hostilities to a phase of long-term stability.

The development also highlights the complexities facing any future security arrangements in southern Lebanon, where issues of military deployment, security guarantees, and monitoring mechanisms remain key points in any upcoming negotiation process.