Israel will not withdraw from territory seized in Lebanon: Defence Minister
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Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has declared that the nation will not withdraw its forces from territory seized in southern Lebanon, a provocative stance coming just as a US-Iran framework deal, purportedly including an end to fighting against Hezbollah, is on the cusp of formalization. This unilateral assertion, made on June 15, 2026, directly challenges the nascent diplomatic efforts and signals a significant escalation in regional tensions, with Katz warning of 'full force' retaliation if Iran strikes Israel due to events in Lebanon. The declaration casts a long shadow over the newly announced US-Iran framework deal, which President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed aims for an immediate ceasefire and a phased roadmap to end the conflict, including military operations in Lebanon and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have been vocal in asserting that Israel is not bound by this agreement, highlighting deep fissures between Jerusalem and Washington's diplomatic approaches. This defiant posture from Israel follows intensified cross-border tensions, marked by recent Israeli drone strikes and artillery attacks in southern Lebanon, countered by Hezbollah own rocket and drone launches, pushing the volatile Israel-Lebanon border into renewed conflict despite a nominal ceasefire from November 2024. With Iran yet to finalize its decision on the framework deal amidst strong warnings of 'crushing blows' if Israel escalates, the stage is set for a perilous diplomatic and military showdown. Netanyahu, under intense domestic scrutiny over his handling of ongoing conflicts, is unlikely to concede ground, making further Israeli military actions in the designated 'security zones' in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza a near certainty. The international community now faces the immediate challenge of preventing this regional tinderbox from igniting into a broader conflagration, as Israel's unyielding position threatens to unravel any fragile peace dividend from the US-Iran rapprochement.