IDF to Stay in South Lebanon, Vows to Retaliate If Hit by Tehran

Israel’s National Security minister also said that the ceasefire deal agreed between the United States and Iran did not bind the Jewish state.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in Athens, Greece, on Jan. 20, 2026. Aggelos NAKKAS / AFP via Getty Images

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on June 15, following the announcement that a deal to end the conflict between the United States and Iran had been reached.

The deal was first announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.