The over 600,000 Lebanese who were evacuated will not be allowed to return to their homes in southern Lebanon "until the safety of the residents of northern Israel is guaranteed," the defense minister said in a recorded statement, according to Israeli media.
The guarantee will be achieved through extensive house demolitions, similar to those carried out by Israel in Gaza, according to Katz, who issued similar warnings last week.
UN sounds the alarm
Even after the current war ends, Israeli forces will continue to be stationed on Lebanese territory. Israel will “maintain a security zone across the entire area up to the Litani,” Katz said, referring to the river about 30 miles from the border.
Plans for an Israeli occupation are met with a clear warning from UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher.
"Given the course set by Israeli ministers and given what is out in the open in Gaza, how are you going to protect civilians?" Fletcher told the UN Security Council in Beirut.
Over a million displaced
In recent days, several battles have taken place in Lebanon. Two members of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon have been killed, as well as several Israeli soldiers.
On Tuesday, Israel again attacked Beirut's southern suburbs, often described as a Hezbollah stronghold.
Lebanon-based and Iran-allied Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2, in retaliation for Israeli and US strikes on Iran on February 28. This drew Lebanon into the wider regional conflict. Since then, more than a million people have been forced to flee their homes in Lebanon. More than 1,200 people have been killed and more than 3,500 injured in Israeli attacks, according to authorities.
