Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel has killed 9,000 Hezbollah members and destroyed 92 percent of the group’s missile capabilities, as he reaffirmed that Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon until what he described as the threat from Hezbollah is eliminated.
Netanyahu made the remarks during a visit with Defence Minister Yisrael Katz to what Israeli officials describe as a “security zone” controlled by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
In a statement released by his office, Netanyahu said Israel is implementing what he described as a new security doctrine along its northern border.
“Our most significant achievement in Lebanon is the establishment of a buffer zone,” Netanyahu said. “This represents a major shift in the security concept on the northern front.”
He said the security zone is intended to prevent armed groups from operating near Israel’s border and to stop the establishment of military infrastructure that could be used to launch future attacks.
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Netanyahu claimed that Israeli military operations had killed 9,000 Hezbollah members and reduced the group’s missile arsenal by 92 percent, leaving it with only 8 percent of its pre-war missile capabilities.
He did not provide evidence to support the figures, and Hezbollah has not publicly confirmed the claims.
The Israeli prime minister also reiterated that Israel would not withdraw from southern Lebanon until the threat posed by Hezbollah had been eliminated.
“We will not leave southern Lebanon until the threat is completely removed,” Netanyahu said.
The visit came amid continued Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon and ongoing diplomatic efforts to implement a US-backed framework agreement intended to reduce tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
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