Katz says Israel won't withdraw as long as Hezbollah has arms

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stressed Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw its forces from south Lebanon as long as Hezbollah has weapons.

“Our presence at five points in southern Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire agreement, but we imposed it, and the United States accepted it," Katz added.

Lebanon's government said Monday that the army would need at least four months to implement the second phase of the military's plan to disarm Hezbollah in the country's south.

Israel, which accuses Hezbollah of rearming, has criticized the army's progress as insufficient, and has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with the Iran-backed group.

Israel has also kept troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic, while Hezbollah has rejected calls to surrender its weapons north of the Litani.