Gaza Herald – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have declared that Israeli forces will remain deployed in parts of Gaza, southern Lebanon, and Syria indefinitely, signaling that Israel has no plans to withdraw from territories it currently occupies.
Speaking during a graduation ceremony for Israeli combat officers in southern Israel, Netanyahu said Israeli troops would continue holding what he described as a “security zone” in southern Lebanon for as long as Israel considers necessary.
“We control southern Lebanon, and we have no intention of leaving,” Netanyahu said, insisting that Israeli forces would remain in place without setting a timetable for withdrawal.
Defense Minister Katz echoed that position, stating that Israeli troops would stay in what Israel calls security zones across Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip “without any time limit,” despite growing international pressure for a withdrawal.
Warnings Directed at Iran
Katz also issued a warning to Iran, saying that any retaliation linked to Israel’s military activities in Lebanon—or elsewhere—would trigger what he described as a powerful Israeli response intended to demonstrate Israel’s military superiority.
Military Expansion Across Lebanon and Syria
The statements come amid growing evidence that Israel is entrenching its military presence beyond its internationally recognized borders.
Recent reports have indicated that Israel has constructed a network of military bases across southern Lebanon and southern Syria, reinforcing concerns that the deployments are intended to become permanent rather than temporary security measures.
On Friday, Israeli forces reportedly continued military operations in southern Lebanon, where Lebanese media said troops demolished and set fire to homes in the town of Markaba. Additional Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed two people in Mayfadoun, wounded another, and struck areas near Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
The Israeli military also announced that four of its soldiers, including two officers, were injured during clashes with a Hezbollah fighter in the village of Beit Yahun.
Since fighting resumed in early March, Israeli military operations have reportedly killed more than 4,200 people in Lebanon, while cross-border attacks have continued despite a ceasefire agreement reached only a week earlier.
Occupation Continues in Syria
Israel also continues to occupy strategic territory on Mount Hermon after seizing the area following the collapse of the Syrian government in late 2024.
The mountain, previously part of a UN-monitored buffer zone, remains under Israeli control, while Syrian authorities say Israeli forces have carried out more than 1,000 airstrikes and hundreds of ground incursions since taking the territory.
Israeli Officials Discuss Palestinian Expulsion
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that senior Israeli security officials recently met to discuss renewed efforts to encourage what they termed the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
According to the reports, the meeting was chaired by National Security Council official Shmuel Ben Ezra and included representatives from the Israeli military, Shin Bet, and Mossad.
Officials reportedly acknowledged that Israel has yet to find any country willing to receive Palestinians displaced from Gaza.
Control Over Gaza Continues to Expand
The discussions come after Netanyahu reportedly instructed the Israeli military last month to expand its control over approximately 70 percent of the Gaza Strip.
When the October 2025 ceasefire took effect, Israeli forces already controlled roughly 53 percent of Gaza. That figure has since reportedly risen to around 60 percent.
If Israel expands its control to 70 percent, Gaza’s approximately 2.2 million Palestinians would be confined to only about 109 square kilometers, further intensifying concerns over mass displacement and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
Civilian Toll Continues to Rise
According to figures cited in the report, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 173,000 wounded since Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023.
Despite the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, Israeli military operations have reportedly continued, with more than 1,000 Palestinians killed and over 3,200 others wounded since the truce came into effect, underscoring ongoing concerns about repeated violations of the ceasefire and the worsening humanitarian crisis across the besieged enclave.
