Israeli army will stay in Lebanon ‘as long as necessary’ – Netanyahu

Israeli troops will stay in Lebanon “as long as necessary”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday, vowing to make Iran-backed Hezbollah pay a “heavy price” for its attacks.

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“Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks,” Netanyahu said in a statement after the military announced the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.

“Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary for the protection of the communities of the north.”

Netanyahu characterized the overnight assault as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire” agreement that had recently taken effect under broader regional diplomatic frameworks.

He confirmed that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to retaliate with full force, leading to airstrikes on over 80 targets, including Hezbollah command facilities in the Bekaa Valley.

The military confirmed that the casualties occurred shortly after midnight when a suspected drone or anti-tank missile struck an armored vehicle in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tebnit.

Among the fallen troops was Lieutenant-Colonel Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, the 32-year-old commander of the 401st Brigade’s 52nd Armored Battalion.

Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the prime minister’s position, stating that the military would maintain its presence within the designated security zone.

He emphasized that protecting Israeli personnel and northern border communities takes absolute precedence over all other considerations, and warned that further provocations would be met with substantial military force.