Netanyahu Vows IDF Freedom Of Action In Southern Lebanon After US Ends Unrestricted Authorization

The US informed Israel that a previous authorization allowing Tel Aviv "to operate without restriction" in Lebanon had ended, Channel 13 reported Monday citing an unnamed senior Israeli official.

“OBBUERGEN, Switzerland (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Monday said his lengthy talks with senior Iranian officials in Switzerland created a “good foundation for a successful final deal” as they seek a permanent end to the war that the U”

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The same report said Israeli political leadership issued official directives to the army outlining permissible and prohibited movements in Lebanon, with directives prohibiting operations in areas such as the capital, Beirut, and the Tyre district in southern Lebanon.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that the Israel Defense Forces would remain in southern Lebanon with "full freedom of action to deter any direct or new threat to them or to the residents of the north."

The Times of Israel reported Netanyahu vowed to keep Israeli troops in the south Lebanon security zone "for as long as necessary" to protect northern Israel from Hezbollah, while the IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the military objective remained "clear and unchanged" as the ceasefire was described as fragile.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Sunday during a tour that "the ceasefire is fragile, and we are at high readiness for renewed fighting," as the IDF prepared for renewed fighting.

Ynetnews described how the IDF published its deployment in southern Lebanon and said that at its deepest point forces reached about 10 kilometers from the Israeli border, while beyond the Litani River forces from the 36th Division were positioned on the Ali Taher ridge overlooking Nabatieh.

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The Jerusalem Post quoted a senior Israeli official saying, "There are no concessions and no withdrawals," adding that the IDF is deployed along the Blue Line in positions deemed optimal for the protection of forces.

In response to Israeli statements, The Times of Israel reported Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said, "There are no security zones for Israel" and that "Israel is an aggressor and must leave."

Israeli officials tied the future of the security zone to Hezbollah disarmament and Israel’s freedom of action, with i24NEWS quoting Bezalel Smotrich saying, "As long as Hezbollah is not disarmed, we will not move an inch."

“The political leadership in Israel issued restrictions on the movement of the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, in a move that may reflect American pressure to push Tel Aviv to adhere to the provisions of the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran, to end the war and pave the way for negotiations on the disputed issues”

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The Times of Israel reported Defense Minister Israel Katz said soldiers operating in southern Lebanon have "no restrictions" in eliminating threats to the forces, while also saying the IDF would not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon.

At the same time, Jurist.org reported the United Nations renewed its call for full freedom of movement for peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, warning that restrictions on UNIFIL could undermine monitoring of a "fragile security zone."

The Anadolu Ajansı report said Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023–2024 war, while Lebanese authorities said Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 4,000 people, injured over 12,000 others, and displaced over 1 million residents since March 2.