By George Omagbemi
Israel has said it will not withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, intensifying an already delicate security dispute between Israel, Lebanon and the United States.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz made the clarification on Thursday, August 13, 2026, after remarks a day earlier appeared to suggest that Israeli forces could remain in southern Lebanon indefinitely.
The earlier comments drew criticism from Washington, which has opposed the idea of a permanent Israeli military presence in Lebanon.
The current framework, brokered with U.S. involvement, envisages a phased Israeli withdrawal alongside greater deployment and authority for the Lebanese army.
However, Israel maintains that Hezbollah must be disarmed as part of the process. Discussions have included possible international mechanisms to verify disarmament.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, has rejected disarmament demands and maintained that it will continue its armed resistance, creating a major obstacle to implementation of the agreement.
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