Israel does not plan to withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains armed and considered a threat to the country's security, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said. Katz said the Israeli military is preparing for an "extended presence" in Lebanon, arguing that troops will remain in the zone until Hezbollah disarms.

"I have ordered the Israeli military to prepare for an extended presence in the area, in order to protect the fighting forces and communities, until this goal is fully achieved," Katz said, according to Reuters. The Israeli minister stressed that the withdrawal will not take place until Hezbollah is disarmed and its threat is eliminated.

Netanyahu: We will not withdraw from Gaza without Hamas's disarmament
Katz's statement falls in line with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance on Gaza.

Netanyahu has opposed the withdrawal of Israeli forces before the complete disarmament of Hamas, despite a proposal supported by Donald Trump that envisages a gradual Israeli withdrawal in parallel with the disarmament of Hamas and the deployment of an international stabilization force.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu's Likud party is expected to place a strong emphasis on security issues ahead of the October 27 elections, the first to be held in Israel since the October 7, 2023 attack.

The Israeli government's stance signals that Israel's military presence on both fronts, Lebanon and Gaza, could continue even if new ceasefire or withdrawal agreements are reached.