From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Smotrich vows no IDF withdrawal ‘as long as Hezbollah exists in Lebanon’
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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says Israel will not pull its military forces out of southern Lebanon “as long as Hezbollah exists in Lebanon,” and so long as this government remains in power.
“It simply will not happen,” he tells Army Radio. “There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the security zone in Lebanon, including the Beaufort Ridge, as long as Hezbollah exists in Lebanon.”
Smotrich adds: “Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. It must be dismantled, it must not be part of the Lebanese government, and it must not have any military force or ability to threaten the State of Israel. Only then will it be possible to discuss new security arrangements.”
He stresses that this means “until Hezbollah is dismantled. Not just disarmed… dismantled. Not only stripped of its weapons, but also of its political power in Lebanon. As long as it retains any power that can threaten the residents of northern Israel… [and] as long as we are in power, there will be no withdrawal.”
Asked about potential US pressure to remove troops in accordance with Iranian demands amid peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran, Smotrich insists, “We are standing firm on this position. We have made it clear to the Americans.”
The far-right minister noted that “even as we speak — at this very moment — we are continuing to deepen our achievements there and destroy terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground.
“Some of this has already been made public. You are familiar with the strategic underground infrastructure, stretching for many kilometers, that Hezbollah built over the past 15 to 20 years. We will also clear it out, disrupt it, and destroy it.”
The Times of Israel Community.