Israel vows to keep occupying Gaza, Lebanon and Syria despite possible US-Iran deal
Israel’s defence minister has struck a belligerent tone, insisting that Israel must preserve its freedom to attack Iran even as the US moves towards a possible agreement with Tehran.
Israel Katz said Israel must ensure it can act alone in the future to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
In a post on X, he said the US and Israel had dealt “severe blows on Iran that have set back its capabilities by many years”, but made clear Israel’s military posture would not end there.
“Israel will not withdraw from the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. The [army] will continue to defend our borders and our citizens from the peak of Mount Hermon, the mountains of Lebanon, the areas of our land in the Samaria [occupied West Bank] region, and most of the territory of Gaza against the threats posed by jihadist forces and organisations as a central lesson from the events of October 7 [2023].”
Katz said Israel’s doctrine remains “sharp and clear”, adding that it acts against “near and distant threats” to secure outcomes rather than accept “compromises and concessions”.
