JERUSALEM, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "the war continues" during a visit to southern Lebanon on Sunday, where Israeli ground forces invaded last month and are fighting Hezbollah.
In a video statement, Netanyahu described the Lebanese territory as a buffer zone, saying: "The war continues, including inside the security zone in Lebanon."
Israeli ground forces moved into southern Lebanon in March, amid a U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Netanyahu said troops there had "thwarted the invasion threat, pushing back the danger of anti-tank fire and also dealing with rockets, but there is still work to be done."
Netanyahu was accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz and military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.
Katz said the military has launched a new operation to demolish all homes in the villages along the Israel-Lebanon border, adding Israeli forces would not withdraw unless Hezbollah's rocket fire toward northern Israel stops. "We decided that we are not leaving the north anymore," he said. "We will continue this, and the goal is to disarm Hezbollah."
Their visit came ahead of peace talks with the Lebanese government due to begin later this week in the United States.
Hezbollah entered the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran on March 2 by launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire on Nov. 27, 2024, prompting Israel to carry out an intensified military campaign targeting multiple areas across the country.
A two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States took effect on Wednesday. Israel said it would abide by the truce but argued the agreement does not apply to Lebanon. That assertion was rejected by Iran and by mediator Pakistan. ■
