Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would respond militarily if Iran directly targeted the country.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israel’s defense establishment believes senior Iranian officials are preparing to order ballistic missile attacks on Israel, as the military remains on heightened alert following Iranian missile launches toward the Jordanian city of Aqaba, Israeli security officials said Sunday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the attack prompted the launch of two Iron Dome interceptors to prevent missile fragments from reaching the Israeli home front.

Israeli security officials said Iran intended the missile launches as a signal but argued the current security environment differs from previous confrontations.

“The Iranians would like Israel to view this as a signal, but in practice, the security reality is not comparable to 2023. Today, Israeli policy is far more stringent and takes into account the possibility of extreme scenarios, including a broad attack on infrastructure in Iran,” the officials said.

The IDF warned that “There may be spillover into Israeli territory as a result of the fire,” while stating there were no changes to Home Front Command guidelines.

Large explosions were heard over Eilat as interceptor systems engaged missiles headed toward Aqaba.

The military later said interceptor fragments fell in northern Eilat after interceptions outside Israeli territory, with no injuries reported.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would respond militarily if Iran directly targeted the country.

“If Iran fires missiles at Israel, Israel will strike Iran with force. There is no equation we will accept in which Iran fires at Israel,” Katz said at a briefing for military and diplomatic reporters. “If Iran attacks, that is the third Iran war.”

Katz said the IDF had already been instructed to prepare for an independent Israeli operation against Iran if necessary, describing it as a “blue-and-white operation,” meaning an Israeli-led strike not dependent on outside forces.

Speaking to IDF commanders in the West Bank, Katz added, “Next to the continuous fighting against terror in Judea and Samaria, we are closely following the developments with Iran and maintaining a high level of readiness.”

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said, “We followed the attack on the area around Aqaba [Jordan] today, and our air defense apparatus is ready to defend the citizens of Israel. We are ready to immediately return to war, and we will act with great power against anyone who harms us.”

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Defense Minister Israel Katz discussed Iran, as regional fighting continues to intensify across the Middle East.

By World Israel News Staff

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz discussed the evolving security situation in the Middle East during a phone call late Wednesday, focusing on Israel’s ongoing military operations and the escalating confrontation between the United States and Iran, according to a statement from Katz’s office.

A summary of the call released by the Israeli Defense Ministry said that Katz briefed Hegseth on Israel’s ongoing military operations against terrorist organizations in Gaza, southern Lebanon, and Syria.

Hegseth, in turn, updated his Israeli counterpart on recent U.S. military operations targeting Iranian infrastructure and military assets.

The two officials also reaffirmed the close strategic partnership between the United States and Israel, emphasizing their shared commitment to regional security and continued defense cooperation.

Katz also used the conversation to reiterate Israel’s position regarding its security presence along its northern borders.

His remarks appeared to address recent media reports suggesting that President Donald Trump has urged Israel to reduce or withdraw its military presence from buffer zones established in southern Lebanon and parts of Syria following recent conflicts. Neither Washington nor Jerusalem has publicly confirmed those reports.

“We have never asked the US to act in our place along our borders. We are committed to protecting the residents of Israel from every threat, and that is what we intend to do,” Katz said.

Israel has repeatedly maintained that its military deployments in those areas are necessary to prevent terrorist organizations from reestablishing positions close to Israeli communities.

The call took place amid escalation between Washington and Tehran. The U.S. has intensified both the pace and scope of its strikes against Iranian military infrastructure, citing attacks on international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has responded by launching missiles and drones against U.S. military facilities across the region, including bases in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, significantly raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

Despite the widening confrontation with Washington, Iran has thus far refrained from launching additional direct attacks against Israel. Tehran last targeted the Jewish state in April 2026, before a temporary ceasefire with the United States was implemented.

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Israel’s military will build three outpost settlements in northern Gaza on the ruins of Israeli towns evacuated in the 2005 Disengagement, says Defense Minister Israel Katz.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed this week that the IDF will establish three military-linked settlement groups at the sites of former Israeli communities in northern Gaza, reviving a proposal that could create the foundation for a permanent Jewish civilian presence inside the coastal enclave.

Katz disclosed the plan during a tour of northern Gaza with senior military commanders on Sunday. His remarks were broadcast Monday evening in an interview with Israel’s Channel 14.

“I intend to establish three Nahal groups, which are also a military entity, in the same places that existed in northern Gaza,” Katz said.

He argued that the proposed outposts would strengthen Israel’s control of the area and improve the protection of Israeli communities near the Gaza border, describing the move as necessary “at the appropriate time.”

Katz did not name the three locations. His reference to three groups at sites where Israeli communities previously stood, however, appeared to point to Nisanit, Dugit and Elei Sinai — the three Israeli communities that formed the northern Gaza settlement bloc before Israel’s 2005 Gaza Disengagement.

The three communities were evacuated and demolished along with the towns of Gush Katif and Israel’s other Gaza communities when the government withdrew its permanent military and civilian presence from the territory.

Katz used the term “garinei Nahal,” or Nahal pioneer groups, rather than explicitly announcing the immediate construction of three purely civilian towns.

Historically, however, while Nahal settlements were initially quasi-military in nature, many of those outposts were later transferred to civilian residents and developed into permanent communities.

The model therefore allows Israel to initially present the sites as security installations staffed through a military framework while retaining the option of converting them into civilian settlements later.

Channel 14 characterized Katz’s proposal as a new strategic objective intended to establish a permanent Jewish presence in northern Gaza.

There has been no Cabinet decision approving the plan, nor has any date been publicly set for the construction of the three outpost settlements.

Katz’s statement marks the second time in less than seven months that he has publicly raised the prospect of deploying Nahal groups to former settlement sites in northern Gaza.

Speaking at an event in Beit El in December, Katz said: “With God’s help, when the time comes, also in northern Gaza, we will establish Nahal pioneer groups in place of the settlements that were evacuated.”

He also declared at the time that Israel would maintain a lasting military presence in Gaza and would not entrust the protection of Israeli communities to foreign forces.

Those remarks prompted questions from the United States because they appeared to contradict the American-backed Gaza framework, which envisaged a gradual Israeli military withdrawal and ruled out permanent Israeli occupation or annexation of the territory.

Within hours, Katz’s office issued a clarification saying: “The government has no intention of establishing [civilian] settlements in the Gaza Strip.”

His office said the proposed Nahal deployment had been discussed “solely in a security context,” drawing a distinction between military outposts and restored civilian settlements.

The latest remarks are more specific than Katz’s December statement because he identified a precise number — three — and said the groups would be placed at the locations of the former northern Gaza communities.

During the Gaza tour, Katz linked the proposed outposts to a broader shift away from temporary military raids and toward continued Israeli control of territory captured from Hamas.

Asked about the extensive destruction visible in Gaza, Katz said it resulted from a deliberate policy intended to remove threats and prevent Hamas from rebuilding its military infrastructure. He said the IDF was no longer following a pattern of entering an area, conducting an operation and then withdrawing.

Senior commanders accompanying Katz said Israeli forces currently controlled approximately 65% of the Gaza Strip. The commanders also said that the military had established holding and security zones designed to prevent Hamas from returning to areas under Israeli control.

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Katz said the security zone is intended to deny Hezbollah the ability to harm residents of the north.

By JFeed

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued an unequivocal statement on Thursday morning asserting that Israel is acting independently in Lebanon and does not require approval from any outside party to remain there, a declaration that came directly in response to remarks made by President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara.

Katz’s statement followed comments Trump made alongside Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in which the American president suggested he believes Israel will ultimately withdraw from Lebanon, part of a broader pattern in which Trump has repeatedly floated the idea that Syria could handle Hezbollah more effectively than the Israeli military.

In an official statement, Katz said Israel did not ask permission from any party to enter Lebanon and does not need permission to remain there, adding that defending the residents of the Galilee and the citizens of Israel against the threats of the jihadist terror organization Hezbollah, which seeks to destroy the State of Israel, is both Israel’s right and its duty.

The defense minister laid out the background to Israel’s military activity in Lebanon, placing blame squarely on Hezbollah.

He said the terror organization attacked Israel twice on its own initiative, first following the murderous Hamas assault of October 7 and again at the start of Operation Roaring Lion in Iran, when Hezbollah opened fire on Israel under instructions from the Iranian terror regime.

According to Katz, Israel responded forcefully and, over the past two and a half years, has dismantled most of Hezbollah’s capabilities and leadership, chief among them the arch terrorist Nasrallah, one of the architects of the plan to destroy Israel.

He credited political decision-making, the determination of the IDF command, the courage of Israeli soldiers and the resilience of northern residents with the establishment of what he described as a strong security zone in Lebanon.

Katz detailed the scope of that zone, describing it as stretching from the sea in the west to the Beaufort compound and the approaches to Mount Hermon in the east, an area he said has been cleared of residents and of terror infrastructure both above and below ground in order to protect Galilee residents from the danger of raids, anti-tank fire, and direct threats.

He said the security zone is intended to deny Hezbollah the ability to harm residents of the north.

The defense minister closed his statement with an unequivocal message regarding the continued Israeli presence in Lebanon.

He said that as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he have made clear, Israel will continue to remain in the security zone in Lebanon and operate from within it for as long as necessary until Hezbollah is stripped of its weapons throughout all of Lebanon and the threat to northern residents is removed.

Katz said Israel promised security to the residents of the north, delivered on that promise, and will continue to do so.

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Iran’s top negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, vowed Tehran “won’t fold” after the United States launched a massive wave of strikes against more than 80 targets across Iran, sharply escalating the confrontation between the two countries.

According to US Central Command, the operation struck air defenses, radar systems, command centers, anti-ship missiles, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) boats in response to Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said the strikes were intended to cripple Tehran’s ability to threaten one of the world’s most vital trade routes.

Meanwhile, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to arrive in Israel on Wednesday for his first visit since taking office. He is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, with Iran and Washington’s planned sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey expected to dominate the talks.

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“Any Iranian leader who again advances plans for Israel’s destruction will also be eliminated,” Katz warned.

By World Israel News Staff

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a direct warning to Iran’s leadership following the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, declaring that any Iranian leader who seeks to revive plans to destroy Israel will meet a similar fate.

Speaking after chants of “Death to Trump” were heard during the funeral procession in Tehran, Katz said the slogans exposed the true nature of the Iranian regime.

“The calls of ‘Death to Trump’ during the funeral are disgraceful and demonstrate the true character of the ayatollah regime, beyond the smiles and diplomatic gestures,” he said. “Any Iranian leader who again advances plans for Israel’s destruction will also be eliminated.”

According to Israeli news outlet Walla, Israel’s defense establishment closely monitored the funeral, which drew senior Iranian officials, as well as leaders of Tehran-backed terrorist organizations.

Security officials reportedly viewed parts of the ceremony as cementing the status of Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Iran’s supreme leader.

The report said Israeli defense officials continue to assess that Iran is steadily rebuilding its military capabilities while working to stabilize its sanctions-hit economy.

Although internet access is gradually being restored following wartime restrictions, officials believe the regime remains firmly in control of the domestic situation.

At the same time, the IDF is continuing preparations for the possibility that hostilities with Iran could resume or that intelligence could reveal an imminent threat requiring immediate military action.

According to the report, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reviews operational plans on a weekly basis, while Military Intelligence continues expanding and updating its target bank in preparation for any future confrontation.

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Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a blunt warning to Iran during the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, declaring that the man who “planned and led Iran’s campaign to destroy Israel” had been eliminated—and that any future Iranian leader who follows the same path “will meet the same fate.”

Katz said chants of “Death to Trump” during Khamenei’s funeral exposed the Iranian regime’s true face, accusing Tehran of hiding behind “diplomacy, suits, and fake smiles” while continuing to promote terrorism and calls for Israel’s destruction.

He also hailed the joint US-Israeli military campaign led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, saying it removed the immediate existential threat facing Israel and inflicted severe damage on Iran’s military and strategic capabilities.

“Israel is prepared to defend itself, by itself, at any time and against any threat,” Katz said.

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Katz reiterated that Israel would not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned President Donald Trump that Iran would respond forcefully to any threat against its leadership, while accusing the United States of failing to restrain Israel, following an exchange of public statements with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.

In a post on X, Araghchi responded to remarks attributed to Katz, who reportedly said Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was “marked for death” and accused Iranian officials of using negotiation tactics to extract concessions.

Addressing President Trump directly, Araghchi wrote that the memorandum of understanding brokered through Pakistani mediation left no ambiguity over the parties’ commitments.

“The terms of the Islamabad MoU are crystal clear and public for all to see,” he wrote.

Araghchi then suggested Washington was responsible for restraining Israel, writing, “POTUS has committed the U.S. to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will school them.”

He also warned against any military action targeting Iran’s leadership.

“Any threat against our People and Leadership will receive Immediate Powerful Response,” Araghchi wrote.

The exchange followed comments attributed to Katz concerning Iran’s leadership and its nuclear program.

According to the reported remarks, Katz said Khamenei was “marked for death.” The post also accused Iranian officials of acting as “clever merchants trying to extract concessions in negotiations.”

Katz reiterated that Israel would not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons while stating that a negotiated solution remained preferable to military action.

“If they do it through negotiations, all the better,” the reported statement said.

The latest exchange reflected continued public tensions between senior Iranian and Israeli officials as both sides traded warnings over Iran’s nuclear program and the implementation of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.

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“Trump tried to link the Lebanon and Iran arenas because Iran was applying heavy pressure,” Katz said.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that linking developments in Lebanon to the memorandum of understanding addressing the conflict with Iran prevented Israel from carrying out a larger military campaign against Hezbollah, while reiterating that Israeli forces will remain in security zones in southern Lebanon until the group’s presence is eliminated.

Speaking about contacts between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Katz said he witnessed four conversations in which the relationship between the Iranian and Lebanese fronts was discussed.

“Trump tried to link the Lebanon and Iran arenas because Iran was applying heavy pressure,” Katz said.

Katz said he was absent from a fifth conversation but said President Trump continued pressing to connect the two theaters.

He said the approach reflected American interests and led Israel to adopt what he described as “Plan B,” which involved deepening the Yellow Line while allowing residents to return to Beirut’s Dahiyeh district and parts of southern Lebanon.

Addressing the suspension of Israeli military operations, Katz argued that the decision prevented the IDF from expanding its campaign against Hezbollah.

“The pause prevented a massive blow the IDF had planned to continue inflicting on Hezbollah. Linking the arenas saved Hezbollah from a devastating blow, perhaps even its collapse,” he said.

Katz said Israel’s position on its security zone in southern Lebanon remained unchanged.

“In any case, we would not have withdrawn, and we will not do so in the future as long as Hezbollah is there,” he said.

He also said Israel has no intention of remaining in Lebanese territory permanently, but maintained that any future withdrawal would depend on the Lebanese Army removing Hezbollah from areas vacated by Israeli forces.

“We have no territorial ambitions in Lebanon. The Lebanese Army will have to do the job in the areas from which the IDF withdraws. The IDF will have to verify that this has happened and that Hezbollah is no longer present in the areas from which it withdraws. The current mission is to remove Hezbollah from the Litani area.”

Katz said he remained skeptical that any force other than the IDF would ultimately accomplish that objective.

“I have no illusions. In the end, the one that will have to do the job is the IDF.”

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Katz said the Israel Defense Forces had been instructed to prepare for what he described as a “Blue and White operation in Iran.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that Israel is preparing for the possibility of another military confrontation with Iran, warning that Tehran could attack in response to Israeli operations in Lebanon and reiterating that Israel will not withdraw from security zones in Lebanon, Gaza, or Syria unless terrorist organizations are disarmed.

Presenting Israel’s security doctrine for the northern front and the confrontation with Iran, Katz said the Israel Defense Forces had been instructed to prepare for what he described as a “Blue and White operation in Iran” amid the current security situation.

“If we have definitive intelligence about Iranian decisions, we will act on it,” Katz said. “If Iran attacks us with missiles, we will respond with force, and this has been made clear to the Americans.”

He added that renewed fighting with Iran could occur under two circumstances. “The war with Iran will resume under one of two scenarios: if President Trump decides and we join, or if they fire at us, it will be the Third Iran War. Israel’s position is clear—there is no scenario in which Israel will allow missile fire on its territory.”

Katz also said that outside actors had been expected to join the previous conflict with Iran but ultimately did not.

He claimed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan refrained from responding after missiles landed on Turkish territory during the fighting.

Addressing Lebanon, Katz said Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem entered the conflict both to assist Iran and to alter the balance along Israel’s northern border.

He said nearly 100% of homes in villages along the contact line in western and central Lebanon had been destroyed and estimated that about 200,000 residents had not returned.

Katz said the IDF had been instructed to fire warning shots at anyone attempting to return, adding, “The civilian population is considered part of the terrorist threat and potential casualties; therefore, they will not be allowed to return.”

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Israel’s defense minister says the IDF’s next goal is to achieve military superiority in space, including both defensive and offensive capabilities.

By World Israel News Staff

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that Israel’s next major defense goal is to develop offensive and defensive superiority in space, including the ability to disrupt enemy systems and eventually carry out kinetic attacks from orbit.

Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had identified space as a central arena for Israel’s future military edge, arguing that space reduces some of the disadvantages Israel faces against larger enemies.

“One of the central goals the prime minister and I have marked is space,” Katz said at the opening of a conference hosted by the Defense Ministry.

“Space is the place where the territory you hold down below has no meaning, the size of your population has no meaning, and many other things have no meaning — and that is the target that has been set.”

Katz said Israel’s goal is not only to operate in space, protect Israeli assets there and neutralize hostile systems, but also to be able to act from space against targets on Earth.

“Not only to be in space, not only to be able to defend what we put there and thwart what others put there — but to operate from there downward: also in disruption, which will come fairly early, disruption of systems, and also in kinetic attack,” he said.

Katz said the Defense Ministry is now recruiting top talent for the effort.

“We are now recruiting the best minds,” he said. “Today no country has the capability of attack from space. We must be the leading country in the world in this capability, which, if we achieve it, will guarantee us an advantage in deterrence, in strike capability, destruction and all the other things against enemies with large resources.”

Israel has long operated military reconnaissance satellites, and its Ofek program has been a core part of the country’s intelligence-gathering capabilities.

In September 2025, Israel launched the Ofek 19 spy satellite, which defense officials said would improve Israel’s ability to monitor threats across the Middle East.

At the time, Katz called the launch “another building block in Israel’s power projection on the global stage,” saying it reflected the advanced capabilities of the Defense Ministry, the IDF and Israel Aerospace Industries.

Defense officials have said Israel’s recent wars highlighted the growing importance of space-based intelligence. The Defense Ministry said Ofek 19 joined Israel’s operational satellite constellation and would be transferred to Unit 9900, the IDF’s visual and geospatial intelligence unit.

Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, the Defense Ministry director general, said after the Ofek 19 launch that modern warfare increasingly extends into space and that Israel planned to invest billions in the coming decade to expand its satellite constellation.

“The Swords of Iron War, particularly Operation Rising Lion, demonstrated that modern warfare extends into space,” Baram said at the time. “Expanding and strengthening our foothold in space is a central objective in the ministry’s strategy.”

Israel Aerospace Industries said Ofek 19 is a synthetic aperture radar satellite, allowing intelligence collection during the day, at night and in poor weather conditions.

IAI CEO Boaz Levy said the capabilities were especially important after Operation Rising Lion, which “underscored that having advanced observation capabilities in our region is critical for achieving aerial and ground superiority.”

The statement comes as Israel is expanding its defense investments after years of multifront warfare against Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and other regional adversaries. Israeli officials have repeatedly said the country must preserve technological superiority over enemies with larger populations, larger territories and greater strategic depth.

Katz said Israel should aim to be first in military capabilities in space.

“We must be the leading country in the world in this capability,” he said.

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Israel’s defense minister says IDF will remain in southern Lebanon security zone regardless of US pressure, adding that 200,000 residents will not be permitted to return.

By World Israel News Staff

Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Wednesday that Israeli forces would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, even under American pressure, as Washington pushes efforts to stabilize the Israel-Lebanon front and advance a limited handover of some areas to the Lebanese army.

Speaking at the Muni Expo conference for local officials in Tel Aviv, Katz said Israel would maintain its security zone in southern Lebanon despite diplomatic pressure tied to US-backed talks between Israel and Lebanon.

Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon “even if there is an American demand,” Katz said.

“We are not withdrawing,” he added.

Katz said Israel would not allow some 200,000 Lebanese residents to return to areas inside the security zone, arguing that the presence of civilians in such areas had previously enabled attacks on Israeli soldiers.

“200,000 residents will not return. Because what happened in the past in security zones, where there was also a civilian population, was roadside bombs and attacks against the soldiers, and therefore we will not allow that,” he said.

“Even if there is an American demand — we will not withdraw from southern Lebanon. 200,000 residents will not return. There are no residents and no terrorists,” Katz continued.

“In the past, in security zones where there was a civilian population, there were explosive devices and attacks against soldiers. Therefore we do not allow this. Soldiers inside, residents outside.”

“The infrastructure is destroyed, the houses are threatening and destroyed — we are not withdrawing,” he said.

Katz’s comments came as Israel and Lebanon are holding US-mediated talks in Washington on a proposal that could see Israeli forces leave some areas of southern Lebanon and transfer them to Lebanese army control.

Multiple news outlets reported that the discussions include a US-backed “pilot” plan under which Lebanese troops would take control of certain areas after being trained and vetted by the US to ensure they have no ties to Hezbollah. Israeli officials said Israel would still maintain a buffer zone along the border.

A senior Lebanese security official told Reuters that the talks were focused on a timeline for Israeli withdrawal and that a plan would only emerge after the final day of discussions.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said talks on proposed “pilot areas” were continuing and awaiting Israeli approval, according to his office.

The push for a withdrawal arrangement is taking place against the backdrop of a broader US-Iran understanding that includes language on ending hostilities in Lebanon.

Iran has said Lebanon is part of the agreement and that it includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops, while Israel has said it is not bound by any deal negotiated between Washington and Tehran.

Israeli officials have sharply criticized any effort to link Lebanon to the US-Iran track.

Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter said Tuesday that the Israel-Lebanon negotiating channel had been intended to remove Iran’s influence from Lebanon, not bring Tehran into decisions about Hezbollah.

“We are in a train wreck,” Leiter said in a Hebrew statement as the talks began.

“We sat in the same car and traveled to the same destination, with the United States serving as the locomotive. The train was heading in a very clear direction: full peace between the countries, Iran and its malign influence out of Lebanon, the disarmament of Hezbollah, and peace and security for Lebanon and Israel,” he said.

“Today, this train is in danger of derailing. I hope we can get it back on track,” he added.

Leiter said Iran’s role should be limited to leaving Lebanon.

“The basic premise [of these talks] was that Iran was not involved, and the main discussion is about Lebanon and Hezbollah — not about the extent to which Iran can restrain Hezbollah,” he said. “That is not Iran’s role. Its role is to get out of Lebanon. The role of the Lebanese government is to exercise its sovereignty. Sovereignty means that Iran will no longer be involved… in Lebanon.”

He also warned that Hezbollah could emerge emboldened if diplomatic arrangements limited Israel’s ability to operate against the group.

“The only issue is Hezbollah. Hezbollah must be defeated and removed from the equation. Instead, there is a danger that Hezbollah has received a boost. It certainly feels stronger and bolder,” Leiter said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior defense officials have also said Israel intends to maintain freedom of action in southern Lebanon.

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The Israeli military issued a statement directing forces to operate only within Israel’s self-declared security zone in southern Lebanon.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli military commanders have received new operational restrictions in southern Lebanon that limit the circumstances under which troops may open fire or carry out demolitions, according to a report by The New York Times mciting two Israeli officials.

Under the updated directives, soldiers are authorized to use force only against an immediate threat unless they receive direct approval from the Chief of Staff, the report said. The restrictions also prohibit troops from demolishing homes or infrastructure within the security zone without authorization from senior officers.

The reported changes come as Israel adjusts its military posture following a cease-fire announcement and updated instructions from the country’s political leadership.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces would remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon “for as long as necessary” to protect communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah.

Late Saturday, the Israeli military issued a statement directing forces to operate only within Israel’s self-declared security zone in southern Lebanon. The area, controlled by Israeli troops, extends roughly six miles north of the Israeli border.

The military also released an updated map of the zone that placed Tebnit and Ali al-Taher within the territory under Israeli control. The ridgeline in that area has emerged as a focal point of tensions.

According to The New York Times, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the military to halt its fire shortly after an Iranian announcement and after retaliation for Hezbollah strikes had concluded.

The newspaper cited two Israeli officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing internal decision-making.

Following those instructions, the military announced that it had received “updated directives” from Israel’s political leadership and would not be “conducting proactive strikes” in Lebanon.

At the same time, the military said it retained the authority to respond if Hezbollah violated the cease-fire or targeted Israeli civilians or Israeli troops.

The revised guidance reflects a shift in operational rules for Israeli forces deployed inside the security zone while maintaining Israel’s stated policy of preserving the ability to respond to threats originating from Lebanon.

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Over the weekend five IDF soldiers were killed following drone and missile attacks on troops in the area.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

As talks between Iranian and Pakistani negotiators reportedly began in Switzerland on Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said there were “no restrictions” on Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.

“There was and is no restriction on [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers in Lebanon to act to eliminate threats,” Katz said.

“Following the attack on our forces, the IDF responded with great force, thwarting a very large number of Hezbollah terrorists and damaging numerous terrorist infrastructures. Preserving the lives of our soldiers and citizens is a top and absolute priority,” he added.

On Saturday, an Israeli soldier was killed and 13 others injured during a Hezbollah rocket and drone barrage on their position in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tebnit.

The IDF responded with strikes on Hezbollah targets in nearby Nabatieh.

Meanwhile, Israeli media reported on Sunday that troops cornered 30 Hezbollah gunmen in an underground tunnel in that area.

On Friday, four soldiers were killed when their tank was struck by either an explosive drone or an anti-tank missile.

Fighting over the weekend followed a Wednesday memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran.

Under the agreement, Tehran committed to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington agreed to lift its blockade on Iranian ships and ports.

On Saturday, just days after the waterway was reportedly reopened, Iran’s central military command announced it had closed the strait again, claiming Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon constituted a violation of the agreement.

The U.S. military rejected that claim, saying the Strait of Hormuz was remained open.

Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding.

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Somaliland is strategically located in the center of the Horn of Africa along the Gulf of Aden, directly across from Yemen.

By Etgar Lefkovits, JNS

Israel and Somaliland have been covertly cooperating for many years, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday.

The remarks, made during a meeting with visiting Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, come six months after Israel became the first country in the world to recognize the self-declared Islamic nation as an independent state and amid growing diplomatic ties between Israel and Africa.

“For many years, we cooperated under the radar in a series of operations that will remain classified,“ Katz said, according to remarks published by his office.

“Now we are determined to bring our security cooperation to new heights, for the benefit of both peoples and for the benefit of stability in the region.”

Somaliland is strategically located in the center of the Horn of Africa along the Gulf of Aden and directly across from Yemen, where the Houthis hold territory and subject international commercial shipping and naval vessels in the waterway to missile and drone threats.

Earlier this week, Somaliland opened its embassy in Jerusalem.

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Israeli defense chief says Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon as part of Iran deal, reveals that Netanyahu informed Trump of Jerusalem’s position.

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has informed President Donald Trump that Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon as part of the emerging US-Iran agreement, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday, signaling that Jerusalem will not accept provisions it says could limit Israeli action against Hezbollah.

Katz said he also delivered the message to senior US officials, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, after reports that the US-Iran memorandum of understanding includes understandings connected to Lebanon and a halt to fighting involving Hezbollah.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are leading a clear policy stating that the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza without a time limit, in order to protect the border and Israeli communities from jihadist elements,” Katz said. “The area will be cleared of local residents, and all terror infrastructure, above and below ground, including homes in contact-line villages that served as terror outposts, will be destroyed.”

The statement was one of Israel’s clearest public responses to the US-Iran arrangement, which Trump said had been completed and which regional officials have described as including steps to de-escalate fighting beyond Iran itself.

Israeli officials have said Israel is not a party to the agreement and will not be bound by terms that they believe endanger its security.

“Holding the territory and the security zones is one of the IDF’s greatest achievements in the War of Revival, under the decisions and direction of the political echelon,” Katz said.

The dispute centers on whether the US-Iran deal can include understandings on Lebanon, where Israel says it must retain military freedom of action against Hezbollah.

Israeli officials have argued that the IDF’s presence in buffer areas is needed to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing attack positions near the border after months of fighting.

“Therefore, we oppose an IDF withdrawal from Lebanon, despite all the existing pressure and the pressure that will still come,” Katz said. “Prime Minister Netanyahu made this clear to U.S. President Trump and other senior American officials, and I also made it clear yesterday to US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.”

The comments came after Trump criticized Israeli strikes in Lebanon, saying they complicated efforts to finalize the Iran agreement. The emerging deal has drawn concern in Israel over possible sanctions relief for Tehran and over any arrangement that could restrain Israeli operations against Hezbollah.

An Israeli source told The Jerusalem Post that Israel would not withdraw from southern Lebanon as part of the US-Iran deal despite Iranian demands. The report also said an IDF source indicated that if Hezbollah respects the ceasefire, Israel would not carry out attacks in Lebanon.

Katz’s statement suggested that Israel intends to maintain the security zones regardless of outside pressure and regardless of the broader diplomatic track with Tehran.

“If there are elements in the opposition who challenge this security concept and support an IDF withdrawal, let them stand up and say so, so the public can judge between the positions,” he said.

“We will not compromise on Israel’s supreme security interest and the defense of our citizens, and we will not withdraw from the security zones. If Iran attacks Israel over the events in Lebanon, we will attack it with full force and make the balance of power very clear.”

The US-Iran memorandum has not been formally published, and different parties have described its terms differently.

Reports have said it includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a temporary diplomatic framework for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, and regional de-escalation measures.

Iranian and regional accounts have indicated that Lebanon is part of the broader ceasefire framework, while Israeli officials have rejected any outside attempt to require an IDF pullback.

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