‘No ceasefire in Lebanon until victory,’ Israel’s new defense chief declares

Israel’s new defense minister vows to continue war against Hezbollah ‘without ceasefire and without pause’ until terror group forced back north of Litani River and northern Israeli towns secured.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israel’s new defense chief vowed Tuesday to continue the ground operation against the Iranian backed terrorist group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon until the IDF achieves victory and secures all of Israel’s goals in the current conflict.

Defense Minister Israel Katz (Likud), who was tapped by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week to replace Yoav Gallant (Likud), held his first meeting with the IDF General Staff on Monday, discussing the ongoing conflict with Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah.

“In my first meeting today with the IDF General Staff Forum,” Katz tweeted Monday, “I emphasized: Iran is more exposed than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities. We have the opportunity to achieve our most important goal – to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel.”

In a follow-up post Tuesday morning, Katz revealed that during Monday’s meeting with IDF top brass he had emphasized that Israel will continue its military pressure on Hezbollah until the terror group’s infrastructure in southern Lebanon is dismantled, the terror group is pushed away from the Israeli border, and northern Israeli towns are secured.

“The warning and powerful activity carried out by the IDF and the security agencies against Hezbollah and the elimination of Nasrallah are a picture of victory and the offensive activity should be continued, in order to increase and worsen Hezbollah’s capabilities and realize the fruits of victory,” Katz said.

In stark contrast to a recent report which claimed that the IDF’s Northern Command had stated that the military had achieved its goals in Lebanon and that the time is ripe for a diplomatic solution, Katz vowed “no ceasefire” and “no respite” in the war until Israel has achieved all of its war aims.

“In Lebanon there will be no ceasefire and there will be no respite. We will continue to hit Hezbollah with full force until the goals of the war are achieved.”

“Israel will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee Israel’s right to enforce and prevent terrorism on its own, and meeting the goals of the war in Lebanon, disarming Hezbollah and withdrawing them beyond the Litani River and returning the residents of the north safely to their homes.”