Netanyahu: Israeli forces to stay in Lebanon ‘as long as need requires’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the war with Iran is not over and that he intends to keep Israeli forces in Lebanon “as long as the need requires”.

“The Iranian regime has been dealt a severe blow, and our policy is clear that Iran will not possess nuclear weapons, whether with or without an agreement. The war is not over yet, and new challenges are emerging before us,” Netanyahu reportedly told Israeli media.

Security sovereignty for Lebanon was a key prerequisite for Iran signing a truce with the US, something that several Israeli officials said they were prepared to ignore and would continue to attack Iran “alone” regardless of any agreement.