Displaced Lebanese 'will not return' until north Israel secure, Katz says

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Monday that Lebanese displaced by fighting with Hezbollah would not be allowed to return home until the north of Israel was secure.

"Hundreds of thousands of Shia residents of southern Lebanon who have evacuated and are evacuating their homes from southern Lebanon and Beirut will not return to their homes south of the Litani area until the safety of residents in the north is guaranteed," Katz told military top brass according to a statement.

The Israeli military has repeatedly said it would not evacuate Israelis from northern parts of the country, as it had done in the previous 2024 war.

During that conflict, Israel evacuated tens of thousands of residents from northern communities until a ceasefire was struck in November 2024.

Despite that ceasefire, Israel had conducted near-daily air strikes on Lebanon.

In recent days, Hezbollah and Iran have launched coordinated rocket and missile attacks against Israel.

Lebanese authorities said on Sunday the death toll from Israeli attacks had reached 850 during the current war, while more than 830,000 people had registered as displaced.

Israel, meanwhile, said no direct talks were planned with Lebanon to end the fighting, which has been raging for two weeks.