Israeli Premier Links Lebanon Presence to Security, Repeats Hard Line on Tehran
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary, while also reiterating that he would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
Speaking publicly, Netanyahu said Israel would maintain its presence in the security zone in southern Lebanon to protect residents of northern Israel and uphold national security commitments. He stressed that no political developments would alter that position.
At the same time, Netanyahu repeated his long-standing position on Iran, declaring that as long as he remains prime minister, Tehran will not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Later in the day, he argued that Israel had already achieved one of its central wartime goals by preventing Iran from reaching what he described as a point where it could have acquired and used atomic weapons against Israel.
Netanyahu Says War Weakened Iran, Defends Lebanon Campaign
Meanwhile, Netanyahu claimed the joint US-Israel military campaign had inflicted serious damage on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and deepened the divide between the Iranian leadership and its population.
He said the strikes had created conditions that could eventually weaken the Iranian regime further, though he did not specify what developments might follow.
On Lebanon, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were continuing to target Hezbollah positions while attempting to limit civilian harm. He maintained that Israel was fighting Hezbollah rather than Lebanon itself and suggested that peace with Lebanon could become possible if the armed group were dismantled and disarmed.
His comments came as fighting along the Lebanon front remains a major source of regional tension. Lebanese health authorities say Israeli attacks since early March have killed more than 4,100 people and wounded over 12,000, while Hezbollah says the toll includes many of its fighters.
Netanyahu’s remarks are likely to fuel further debate over the future of Israel’s military role in Lebanon and the wider regional confrontation involving Iran and its allies.
