June 15, 2026
(FILES) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the press at the US Capitol following his closed-door meeting with US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Republican from Louisiana, in Washington, DC, on February 7, 2025. Turkey announced on November 7, 2025, that it had issued arrest warrants for genocide against Israeli Prime Minister and senior officials within his government. (Photo by oliver contreras / AFP)
Israel’s defence minister said Monday that Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely, hours after the United States and Iran agreed to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are pursuing a clear policy under which the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for an unlimited period of time, in order to protect the border and Israeli communities from there against jihadist elements,” Israel Katz said in a statement that did not make any reference to the US-Iran deal.
“The area will be cleared of local residents, and all terrorist infrastructure, both above and below ground –including the houses in the frontline villages that served as terrorist outposts — will be destroyed.
