JERUSALEM, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that the Israeli army will not withdraw from the "security zone" it holds in southern Lebanon, despite a recent ceasefire announcement.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks after his meeting with his Greek counterpart in Athens on January 20, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Katz affirmed in a statement that the Israeli military would remain at all positions in the "security zone," which he claimed protects northern Israeli settlements.

He added that there was and is no restriction on Israeli soldiers in Lebanon to act to eliminate threats.

Katz said that following Hezbollah attacks on Israeli forces, the army responded forcefully, killing many Hezbollah militants and damaging many "terror" infrastructures.

"Preserving the lives of our soldiers and citizens is the highest and absolute priority," he stressed.

The cumulative death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 had risen to 4,057, with 12,121 people wounded, the Lebanese Health Ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Center said Saturday.