Katz says Israel will not leave Lebanon before Hezbollah disarms

BEIRUT — Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon before Hezbollah is fully disarmed, according to a post on the Telegram channel of Al Arabiya published on 20 October 2026.

The post, written in Arabic, said Katz had repeated the position. The summary attached to the post gave the statement in a single line. It did not include a longer quote, a video or a transcript of remarks. Al Arabiya did not publish a full text of the statement in the material available for this report.

The post did not say where or when Katz made the remarks. It also did not say whether they were made to the media, in parliament or at a public event. Because the post is the only source for the statement, the wording and context cannot be independently checked from this material.

The post does not describe any Israeli military movements, timetable for withdrawal or response from the Lebanese government or Hezbollah. No other outlet or official Israeli statement reporting the remarks was available at the time of writing.

Background

Israel has kept troops and military positions in southern Lebanon for decades. Its forces have carried out strikes against Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite movement and armed group, during several periods of conflict. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire in November 2024, which called for Hezbollah to move its forces north of the Litani River and for the Lebanese army to take control of the south. Israel has said it will keep forces in some areas until those conditions are met.

Israel Katz has served as defence minister in the Israeli government. His remarks on Lebanon have been part of a broader debate in Israel over the country's northern border and the status of Hezbollah's weapons.

Readers seeking more on Lebanon can follow further reporting as it becomes available. Any official Israeli or Lebanese response to Katz's remarks had not been reported in the source material at the time of publication.