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Indefinite Gaza presence
Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the IDF will remain in self-proclaimed “security zones” in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely, adding, “We will not withdraw from the security zones,” as Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that troops would not leave southern Lebanon until Hezbollah has been disarmed across Lebanon.
The same reporting said Israeli forces occupy nearly 70% of the territory in Gaza, while both Hamas and the Israeli military accuse each other of violating the ceasefire that has been in effect since October last year.
The Hindu also tied the wider regional escalation to Hezbollah’s rocket fire aimed at Israel in early March, described as in response to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in U.S.-Israeli strikes, and said Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry was cited as saying nearly 4,300 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the war erupted, while the Israeli military said it has lost 38 soldiers and one civilian contractor in Lebanon since fighting began in early March.
Katz, Netanyahu and Iran
At a memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers of the Second Lebanon War, Katz told the Jerusalem Post that the October 7 massacre made it clear Israel must not wait for threats “at its door,” and he said the IDF would strike a third time “if necessary.”
Netanyahu, speaking alongside Katz, said Lebanon is suffering the “price of the war” in the North due to Hezbollah’s actions, while Katz insisted, “There will be no Israeli redeployment in southern Lebanon, and there will be no withdrawal whatsoever as long as the Hezbollah terrorist organization has not been disarmed throughout Lebanon.”
The Oman Observer framed Katz’s message as a vow of an “indefinite” stay, quoting him saying, “The IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely in order to protect our residents and communities from jihadist elements,” and repeating that Israel would not withdraw.
That same Oman Observer report also described indirect talks in Doha involving Iran and the United States, with a diplomat saying the foes would take part in “indirect technical talks on Wednesday in Doha with Qatari and Pakistani mediators”.
What’s at stake next
The Defense Post said Katz described the IDF’s posture as remaining in security zones “until further notice,” and it reiterated that the defense minister warned Iran would be struck with “full force” if it attacked Israel over its operations in Lebanon.
In Gaza, the same reporting said Israeli forces occupy nearly 70% of the territory and that both Hamas and the Israeli military accuse each other of violating the ceasefire in effect since October last year, keeping the conflict’s immediate political condition in dispute.
The Times of India added that Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen said Israel’s control over the Gaza Strip “will only continue to grow” until it reaches “100 per cent,” while also stating that Israel has continued military strikes despite a ceasefire agreement.
Across the broader theatre, the reporting said Israel has carried out repeated incursions and bombings in Syria since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, saying it seeks to establish a demilitarised zone in the country’s south, and it cited Lebanon’s Health Ministry for nearly 4,300 deaths in Israeli attacks since the war erupted.
