Israel Will Only Withdraw Troops from Lebanon if Hezbollah Disarms
Israel has insisted it will only withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon once the Hezbollah group has been disarmed. The assertion came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) called for Israel to voluntarily pull its forces out of all Lebanese territory.
Tel Aviv remains adamant that its troops will stay in the security zones established in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and Syria for as long as necessary. The Israeli military launched massive airstrikes on Lebanon and deployed ground forces to the country’s south after Iran-backed Hezbollah entered the Middle Eastern conflict by launching a solidarity attack for Tehran in early March.
“We will not withdraw our forces from southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains a threat, and until it is disarmed and demilitarised,” government spokesperson David Mencer told reporters, according to AFP and Al Arabiya on Friday (26/6/2026).
The statement was made as Lebanese officials, under pressure from Israel’s close ally the United States, continued direct negotiations with Tel Aviv that began in April. The latest round of talks was held this week and was scheduled to conclude on Thursday (25/6).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel and Lebanon were close to reaching a “commitment of intent.” When asked about the negotiations, Mencer reiterated Israel’s position that it would not withdraw its forces before Hezbollah is disarmed and demilitarised.
“We make it very clear that our responsibility is to the residents of the north and to all of Israel; we will not allow any terrorist force to be near our borders—which means that any redeployment of IDF forces will only take place after, not before, the demilitarisation of southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah,” he stressed. “We were in this situation in 2024. Hezbollah was supposed to be disarmed. That did not happen.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Calls for Israel’s Full Withdrawal from Lebanon
Commander of the IRGC Quds Force, Esmaeil Qaani, said, according to Iranian state media, that Israel must withdraw voluntarily from all Lebanese territory or be forced to flee in defeat. Last week, the US and Iran signed an interim agreement to end the fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon, and pledged to guarantee Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Tehran stated that this means Israeli forces must leave southern Lebanon.
Israeli Defence Minister: No Timetable for Troop Withdrawal
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stressed that no schedule has been set for the withdrawal of troops from Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and Syria. Katz said the forces would remain in the security zones in those areas to protect Israeli citizens from threats.
“We must remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, and not for a limited time, in order to protect our residents and communities from the threat of jihadist elements originating from these areas,” Katz said during a military academy graduation ceremony. “We oppose the withdrawal of IDF forces from the security zone in Lebanon, regardless of any pressure that exists or may arise later.”
Speaking at the same ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon “for as long as necessary.”