Isreal to stay ‘indefinitely’ in lands seized in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, says defence minister

Article excerpt

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared Monday that ground forces would remain indefinitely in territories occupied across Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, a statement that potentially undercuts a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding announced just days earlier to end Middle Eastern hostilities. Katz's pronouncement on the longevity of Israeli military presence in these zones signals a hardened position on territorial control. The timing suggests friction between Israeli military objectives and diplomatic efforts to broker regional peace, with the defence minister effectively signaling that any settlement would need to accommodate Israel's expanded footprint rather than require withdrawal.