Netanyahu Declares Israel Will Not Withdraw From Occupied Territories in Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Monday that Israel will not withdraw its forces from occupied territories in Lebanon and Syria, even as a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran—expected to be signed this week—addresses the hostilities.

Speaking at a press conference, Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces will remain in Lebanon, where they currently occupy approximately 570 square kilometers of territory. The conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah has resulted in over 3,000 deaths.

“We will stay in the security buffer zone in Lebanon as long as necessary,” Netanyahu told reporters.

According to unconfirmed reports, Lebanon is expected to be included in the scope of the agreement to be signed between Iran and the US on Friday. Netanyahu's remarks are seen as adding pressure to the already fragile ceasefire.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who announced the deal on Sunday, said a memorandum of understanding would include “the immediate and permanent cessation of military activities on all fronts, including Lebanon.”

Israel has been engaged in combat with Hezbollah since October 2023 and launched cross-border raids in October 2024. The conflict then escalated into a full-scale invasion of Lebanon, with Israel now occupying territory well beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon—the official endpoint of Israel's self-declared “security zone.”

Despite this, Netanyahu said Israel would continue targeting “Iran's terrorist proxies” and “would need to remain vigilant” against Iran.

On Sunday, Israel carried out an airstrike on the outskirts of Beirut, killing three people—an action considered to have crossed one of Iran's “red lines” regarding the deal with the US.

The attack reportedly angered US President Donald Trump, who feared it could derail the ceasefire process. However, despite threats of retaliation from Tehran, the memorandum of understanding related to the agreement was signed on Sunday evening.

According to reports, Netanyahu has had disagreements with Trump behind closed doors, while facing criticism from both the opposition and the far-right in Israel for failing to prevent the US-Iran deal.

Hardliners in Israel fear that ending the war with Iran would force the country to stop its invasions of Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, where Israel occupies approximately 1,000 square kilometers of territory.

During the press conference, Netanyahu acknowledged that he does not always share the same view as Trump and declared that Israel's war with Iran was an overall victory for the nation.

“Many times we see eye to eye, and there are cases where we see less eye to eye. I am responsible for Israel's security interests. I stand up for them,” he said, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

“Iran will never have nuclear weapons, not today and not tomorrow… We have beheaded the leaders of the terror regime, we have crushed the terror factories.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier also pledged on Monday that Israel would not withdraw from territories it has occupied since 2023.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are pursuing a clear policy of maintaining the Israeli military in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, without setting a time limit, in order to protect Israel's borders and towns from jihadists,” he stated. “We oppose the withdrawal of the Israeli military from Lebanon, despite all current and future pressure.”