Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday said Israel’s military would occupy a swathe of southern Lebanon even after the end of the current war against the Hezbollah armed group.
“At the end of the operation, the IDF will establish itself in a security zone inside Lebanon, on a defensive line against anti-tank missiles, and will maintain security control over the entire area up to the Litani,” Katz said in a video statement published by his ministry, referring to a river around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border.
Katz said hundreds of thousands of displaced Lebanese residents would be “completely prevented” from returning until north Israel’s security was ensured, adding that, “All the houses in the villages adjacent to the border in Lebanon will be demolished in accordance with the Rafah and Beit Hanoun model in Gaza.” (AFP)
