Israel says no limits on Lebanon operations, troops will not withdraw

Israel reaffirmed Sunday that it faces no restrictions on military operations against Hezbollah and will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, rejecting Iran's demand that a halt to fighting on the Lebanese front be a precondition for further nuclear negotiations with the United States.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement Sunday that "there are no restrictions — and there never were — on the Israel Defense Forces in carrying out operations to eliminate threats in Lebanon."

He added that the recently declared truce had allowed Israeli forces to maintain all positions within the security zone established to defend northern communities. "The IDF will never withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon," Katz said.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited southern Lebanon the same day and warned that "the truce currently in effect is in a very fragile state." He said forces must maintain a high level of readiness to resume combat operations, neutralize threats and shift swiftly to offensive action if necessary.

"All IDF resources are being committed to that end," Zamir said. "The military objective in southern Lebanon is clear and unchanged — to defend the northern communities and the people of Israel."

Israel's stance amounts to a rejection of Iran's argument, voiced alongside the US-Iran talks in Switzerland, that further negotiations cannot proceed without a resolution to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei wrote on X that the Islamic Republic of Iran has "a firm determination to follow the process of the other party's fulfillment of its commitments very closely and seriously."

Baghaei said the meeting in Switzerland on Monday is intended to review implementation of the cease-fire memorandum of understanding signed on June 18. He noted that under Article 13 of the MOU, the start of negotiations toward a final agreement depends on compliance with Articles 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11.

"Without the implementation of these articles — particularly Article 1, which calls for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon — it is impossible to enter the stage of negotiations for a final agreement," he said.