(
\n Apr. 13, 2026
\n \/ JNS
\n )<\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s enemies are \u201cfighting simply for their own survival,\u201d though \u201cthere is still work to be done,\u201d Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to the security zone in Southern Lebanon on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu toured the area alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and OC Northern Command Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe war continues, including inside the security zone in Lebanon, where I was just a short while ago,\u201d the premier said in a statement following the visit.<\/p>\n
The military \u201cthwarted the threat of an invasion from Lebanon thanks to this security zone,\u201d Netanyahu declared, adding, \u201cWe are pushing away the danger of anti-tank fire and addressing the high-trajectory rockets, but there is still work to be done.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have essentially changed the face of the Middle East,\u201d he continued. \u201cOur enemies\u2014Iran and the Axis of Evil\u2014came to destroy us, and now they are fighting simply for their own survival. We see this in every single arena.\u201d<\/p>\n
The premier hailed the developments as a \u201cmassive achievement for the State of Israel and the IDF, our regular troops and our wonderful reservists.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iranian-backed Hezbollah began firing rockets, missiles and suicide drones at Israel on March 2, in retaliation for the Jewish state\u2019s targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Khamenei was killed in the opening strikes of the war.<\/p>\n
In response to the terrorist organization\u2019s violation of the U.S.-brokered Nov. 27, 2024, truce agreement, Jerusalem launched an aerial campaign against Hezbollah and ordered IDF troops to advance and take control of additional areas in Southern Lebanon to halt cross-border attacks.<\/p>\n
Katz, in a separate statement following the visit to Lebanon on Sunday, stressed that residents of Southern Lebanon \u201cwill not return as long as the security of northern [Israeli] residents has not been ensured.\u201d<\/p>\n
As part of what the has been dubbed \u201cOperation Silver Plow,\u201d the IDF is working to destroy Lebanese homes along the border, \u201cbecause time and again they return to being terror outposts,\u201d the defense minister said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are simply removing the threat. We saw in Gaza how this ultimately works,\u201d he added. \u201cThe objective here is clear\u2014to change this situation. We will continue; we are determined.\u201d<\/p>\n