Israel, which has deployed ground forces into southern Lebanon to eliminate the threat posed by the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah, says it will keep troops stationed in the area until it achieves its objectives.
On the 24th, local time, Israeli Defense Minister Katz said he will establish a security zone south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon and personally oversee it until Hezbollah's threat is fully eliminated.
At an operational briefing with military leaders, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Katz said the Israel Defense Forces \"will continue operations across Lebanon with all available force to destroy Hezbollah.\"
He added that Israel will not allow the hundreds of thousands of displaced residents from southern Lebanon to return south of the Litani River until it can fully guarantee the safety of communities in northern Israel.
He said Israeli forces have already destroyed all the bridges over the Litani River that Hezbollah used to move troops and weapons into southern Lebanon, and that the IDF will seize control of the remaining bridges and the entire security zone up to the Litani.
He reiterated a hard-line stance, saying, \"There will be no homes or civilians where terror and missiles exist, and Israeli forces will hold those areas.\"
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Choi Jin-kyung (highjean@yna.co.kr)
