Beirut, Jun 18 (UNI)
Nearly 4,000 people have been killed in Lebanon so far due to Israeli military operations against Hezbollah militants, according to numbers released by Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health today.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) found itself entangled in a parallel war with the Iran-backed Islamist group on March 2, when Israel launched major retaliatory attacks in southern Lebanon in response to the militia's barrage of rocket and drone fire at Israel, following the outbreak of the joint US-Israel war against Iran on February 28.
Since hostilities erupted between the IDF and Hezbollah, at least 3,912 people have been killed and 11,873 others wounded, the ministry said, though its numbers did not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants.
Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, both sides were required to immediately put a halt to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, which Iran has identified as a key component of the agreement, having repeatedly maintained that the IDF's continued presence in the region constituted a direct violation of the deal.
However, Israel's military today said that forces would remain in Lebanon and continue operating against Hezbollah, with Netanyahu actively stressing that Jerusalem will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, and will maintain its security zone there as long as required.
"We will restore security and prosperity to northern towns," he said during an official ceremony concerning Route 60, a north-south highway stretching from Nazareth to Beersheba that runs through the West Bank.
"That requires maintaining the security zone in southern Lebanon; it requires that we not leave there, as long as Israel's security needs require it."
His adamant insistence came following heavy criticism by US President Donald Trump this week, who bashed the IDF's operations against Hezbollah as being far too aggressive.
Jerusalem is currently negotiating with Washington as it seeks to keep forces deployed in southern Lebanon amid the country's parallel fight against Hezbollah, which the US-Iran agreement says must now end. Iran had said that Israeli forces remaining in Lebanon would be considered a violation of the deal.
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