Afghanistan, June 28 -- Israel has ordered its military to prepare for a prolonged deployment in occupied areas of southern Lebanon, despite a US-mediated framework agreement aimed at ending cross-border hostilities and restoring Lebanese state control, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday.
Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the Israeli military to prepare for a "long-term stay" in the security zone, adding that Israeli forces would not withdraw until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon. His remarks came shortly after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-backed framework intended to reduce tensions and strengthen the authority of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
The agreement, announced this week with U...