Israel says it will stay in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed
Israel's defence minister has said the country has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon, but that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hezbollah is disarmed. The comments came as the United States Central Command chief met Lebanon's president and military chief amid a framework agreement aimed at ending the conflict. The deal links a progressive Israeli withdrawal to the verified disarmament of non-state armed groups and the dismantling of associated infrastructure.
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Israel Katz said the Israel Defense Forces would not pull back "a millimetre" before Hezbollah's disarmament is completed. His remarks were reported on the same day that US Central Command chief held talks in Beirut with President Joseph Aoun and Lebanon's military leadership. According to the framework text released by the State Department, Lebanon is expected to restore sovereignty over its territory through verified disarmament measures.
The ceasefire arrangement follows a day of heavy fighting that left as many as 18 people dead overnight on Thursday, according to the supplied report. Hezbollah and its allies have criticised the deal, arguing that it places obligations on Lebanon while setting conditions for an Israeli withdrawal. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Monday that his country plans to deploy the army up to the border with Israel in order to push back Hezbollah.
The agreement matters because it ties military de-escalation to a broader political and security process in southern Lebanon. That makes implementation dependent not only on the ceasefire holding, but also on whether armed groups can be disarmed and state forces can extend control to the border area. The arrangement also places the United States in a central mediating role between Israel and Lebanon at a moment of continuing regional tension.
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The report says the framework was reached after Israel and Hezbollah agreed on Friday to restore the ceasefire in Lebanon. It also refers to a memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran about two weeks earlier, under which all parties were expected to halt hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon. Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that any violation would bring a "decisive response to the enemy," underscoring how closely the Lebanon front remains tied to wider regional dynamics.
What remains unclear is how quickly the disarmament provisions can be carried out and whether the ceasefire can hold while those steps are negotiated. It is also not clear how far Lebanese forces can deploy along the border, or what timetable will govern any Israeli withdrawal. The next developments to watch are further statements from Beirut, Washington and Jerusalem, and whether the framework produces any verified movement on Hezbollah's weapons and infrastructure.
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