Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the new agreement with Lebanon gives Israel a major security achievement: an Israeli security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is no longer a threat.
Netanyahu said the United States and Lebanon have agreed that Israel will remain in the security zone “until there is no longer a threat to Israel,” calling it a direct answer to Iran’s attempt to force an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
According to Netanyahu, the agreement prevents Iran and Hezbollah from dictating Israel’s security policy. He also praised Lebanon for taking what he called a courageous step, and thanked President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their involvement in reaching the agreement.
Netanyahu added that Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah continues to produce results: more than 200 Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated in the past two weeks, and 9,000 since the beginning of the war.