Israel will remain in territory occupied in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza ‘indefinitely’: Defense minister

The Israeli army will remain in territory occupied in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip “indefinitely,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday.

The army “will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza-indefinitely,” Katz said at a combat officers’ course graduation ceremony at the Israel Forces Officers Training School, as cited by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

“Commanders and soldiers have all the necessary backing to complete their mission and defend themselves and the citizens of Israel,” he reportedly added.

Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 4,200 people and injured over 12,000 others since March 2, accoring to official Lebanese figures.

Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 war. During its latest offensive, Israeli forces advanced more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory.

In Gaza, the Israeli army occupies more than 50% of the Palestinian enclave following a deadly war that killed more than 73,000 people and injured over 173,000 others since October 2023.

In Syria, Israel has occupied most of Syria’s Golan Heights since the June 1967 war and expanded its occupation after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024.

On Dec. 8, 2024, Israel declared the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria and occupied the Syrian buffer zone, while Damascus said it remained committed to the agreement.

Katz vowed that Israel will strike Iran “with full force – in a manner that will clearly demonstrate the power gap between us.”

Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran in February, triggering retaliatory strikes targeting US military assets across the Middle East.

Last week, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that calls for ending hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, as part of efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement between the two sides.