Netanyahu says Israel won’t leave occupied land in Lebanon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue Israel’s occupations of Lebanese and Syrian territory, despite the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran that links to those hostilities.

Netanyahu told a press conference on Monday that Israel’s forces will remain in Lebanon, where it occupies around 570sq km (220sq miles) of territory. Israel’s conflict with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has killed more than 3,000 people.

“We will stay in the Lebanon security buffer zone for as long as necessary,” Netanyahu told reporters.

According to unconfirmed details, Lebanon will be covered in the deal due to be signed by Iran and the US on Friday, and Netanyahu’s comments will likely add pressure to the already fragile ceasefire agreement.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif, who announced the deal on Sunday, said a memorandum of understanding would include “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”.

Israel has been involved in a war with Hezbollah since October 2023 and launched cross-border raids in October 2024. This later developed into a full-scale invasion of Lebanon, and Israel now occupies territory beyond the Litani River that runs across southern Lebanon – the official end point of Israel’s self-declared “security zone”.

Despite this, Netanyahu said that Israel would continue to target “Iran’s terror arms” and “will need to continue to stand guard” against Iran.

On Sunday, Israel launched a strike on Beirut’s suburbs, killing three people – an attack perceived as crossing one of Iran’s red lines concerning the deal with the US.