Published On 1/7/2026
Today, Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reiterated that his forces will remain in the “security areas” in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza “until further notice,” warning Iran of “strong strikes” if it responds to the Israeli army’s attacks on Lebanon.
Katz said that the Israeli army will remain in the “security areas” in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, without specifying a timetable for their exit, in order to “protect our residents and towns from jihadist elements,” stressing, “We will not withdraw from the security areas.”
He also renewed Iran’s warning that it would be subjected to “extreme force” strikes if it responded to the operations of the Israeli army fighting in Lebanon.
Katz’s statements come a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that his forces will remain in Lebanon “as long as Hezbollah poses a threat to the residents of northern Israel.” They also come in the midst of statements by Israeli officials that condition their army’s exit from Lebanon on Hezbollah’s disarmament.
Israel responded by launching large-scale raids and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, killing 4,300 people, according to the authorities, while 38 soldiers and contractors were killed on the Israeli side.
In Syria, Israel expanded the deployment of its forces in southern Syria to Mount Hermon and beyond the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in 2024, while in Gaza it controls about 70% of the area of the Strip, while it did not stop its strikes despite the ceasefire agreement.
