Katz says Israel won't withdraw, discusses preparations for 'anticipated campaign' against Hezbollah

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stressed Wednesday that the Israeli army will not withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon.

During a visit to Israeli forces in occupied southern Lebanon, he stated: "I have instructed the Israeli army to take all necessary steps for a long-term presence in the security zone encompassing Lebanon, Syria and Gaza."

He added: "We are destroying Hezbollah's infrastructure and all the houses in the security zone, and we will not allow our citizens to be threatened." He continued: "We have destroyed the tunnels they built with Iranian support to infiltrate the Galilee."

Katz noted that "the Israeli army defeated Hezbollah with exceptional skill and seized control of the al-Shakif mountain in southern Lebanon."

The Israeli ministry of defense meanwhile announced that "Katz visited Israeli forces in southern Lebanon today and discussed with their commanders the preparations for the anticipated campaign against Hezbollah."