Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the country’s army will remain "without any time limit" in security zones in Lebanon and Syria, as well as in the Gaza Strip.
"We will not compromise on Israel’s supreme security interest: protecting our soldiers and safeguarding our citizens," Katz said.
He noted that Israel will not withdraw from the security zones.
"If Iran attacks Israel because of our actions in Lebanon, or for any other reason, we will strike it with full force," Katz said.
Reuters reported earlier, citing a U.S. State Department official, that Israel had withdrawn from part of the buffer zone in southern Lebanon. The IDF press service said later the same day that Israel had not withdrawn troops from southern Lebanon and that the location of soldiers in the security zone there remained unchanged.
Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon.
On June 21, the U.S. and Iran held talks in Switzerland with mediation by Doha and Islamabad on implementation of the memorandum.
On June 22, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Israeli military had received authorization from the country’s leadership to operate freely in Lebanon to prevent threats.
