Israeli soldiers in Lebanon free to take action if under threat, Defence Minister Katz says

JERUSALEM – Israeli soldiers are free to act without restriction to eliminate threats in Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on June 21, adding that troops remained in position in what Israel refers to as a security zone.

A ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah took effect on June 19 after months of escalating violence, but on June 20, Israeli strikes killed at least 20 people in Lebanon, Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reported.

Israel said the strikes were a response to projectiles fired by the Iran-backed group at its troops in southern Lebanon, prompting attacks on what an Israeli official described as “Hezbollah targets”.

A Hezbollah official told Reuters the group was committed to the ceasefire as long as Israel adheres to it, adding that Israeli forces do not have the right to freedom of movement in south Lebanon.

The official said Hezbollah forces have not fired on Israeli troops since 6.30pm on June 20.

Security sources told Reuters that Israel had also launched no major strikes on Lebanon since the same time.

That represents the longest spell without major strikes since the war in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel began on March 2.

When asked by Reuters about the last time Israel fired on Lebanon or engaged with Hezbollah, the Israeli military declined to provide a “specific time”. It did not respond to a request to comment on the claim they had ceased firing after 6.30pm on June 20.

Iranian officials have said Lebanon is the focal point for the June 21 peace talks with the United States in Switzerland after Washington and Tehran signed a framework to halt the war between them that began at the end of February, escalating tensions across the region.

The Israeli military had invaded parts of southern Lebanon and Hezbollah maintains it has the right to fight Israeli forces in Lebanon, but would halt attacks on northern Israel.

Katz said Israeli troops would remain in all positions in what is being called a security zone, which extends about 10km into southern Lebanon. Israel says that is to protect northern Israeli communities.

“All of the IDF’s (Israel Defence Forces) achievements in the campaign in Lebanon are being preserved, with our forces deployed in the security zone along the Yellow Line in Lebanon and operating from there inward against terrorists and terrorist infrastructures,” he said in the June 21 statement. REUTERS