Defense Minister Israel Katz Declares IDF Will Not Withdraw From Security Zones as Israeli Officials Reject Agreement They Were Excluded From
JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister announced on June 15 that Israeli forces will remain indefinitely in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, hours after the United States and Iran agreed to end their months-long war that had drawn in Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group.
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he are pursuing “a clear policy under which the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for an unlimited period of time, in order to protect the border and Israeli communities from there against jihadist elements”. The statement did not reference the US-Iran deal directly.
Israeli Military Position and US-Iran Agreement Terms
The US and Iran reached an agreement on June 14 that paved the way for further talks to ultimately end a months-long war that has killed thousands and rattled the global economy. US President Donald Trump said the deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, an economically vital waterway, and that he has authorized “the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade” on Iranian ports.
The memorandum of understanding is scheduled to be officially signed on June 19 in Switzerland. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose nation facilitated the negotiations, declared that a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran had been established and was pending finalization.
According to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement on X, the pact called for “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”. The agreement stipulates that Iran must cease funding proxy groups in the region, referring to Hezbollah and other Iranian affiliates throughout the Middle East.
Israel’s Exclusion From Negotiations
Israel was entirely excluded from the bilateral negotiations between the US and Iran. According to Israeli security officials who spoke to The New York Times, Israel has been forced to rely on intelligence to keep up with what is happening during the negotiations.
The report indicates that Netanyahu’s promise to Trump that military cooperation would lead to the fall of the Iranian regime, a pledge that proved incorrect, led to Israel being excluded from influence over the US-Iran negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is not a party to the deal being negotiated.
Analysts have noted that the agreement appears to defer key Israeli security concerns — including Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for proxy groups like Hezbollah — to later discussions. Jacob Nagel, a former acting national security adviser to Netanyahu, told reporters on June 15 that Iran’s ballistic missiles and its support for proxy groups in the region do not even appear as topics in the publicly circulating details.
Israeli Political Reactions
Far-Right Ministers Reject Deal:
Two Israeli far-right ministers on June 15 denounced the deal, insisting their country was not bound by it. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said on his Telegram channel, “Trump’s agreement does not bind us. We are not party to this agreement. It does not safeguard our security”.[8][2]
Ben Gvir added: “We must not settle for anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah. We must not withdraw from a single inch of territory that our soldiers have captured and cleared of terrorist infrastructure”.
Finance Minister Smotrich’s Position:
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the US-Iran deal “bad for Israel”. Smotrich said: “The joint (US-Israel) campaign achieved many successes in weakening Iran, and those achievements have not been in vain. We will have to continue the campaign to bring down the regime ourselves, using creative means, and ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons”.
Smotrich also called for a stronger campaign in Lebanon: “We will be judged in Lebanon. This is our war, our soldiers, and the immediate security of our northern residents. I will continue working to ensure that we stand firm on our position and allow the IDF complete freedom of action to continue pushing Hezbollah farther away”.
Opposition Leader Lapid’s Criticism:
Yair Lapid, the centrist leader of Israel’s parliamentary opposition and a former top government minister, said the emerging deal is “one of the most shocking failures of Israel’s foreign and security policy”. Lapid said the deal falls short of Israel’s key objectives, arguing that the Iranian leadership remains in power, Tehran’s missile programme remains intact and Iran retains the capacity to rebuild its nuclear programme.
Former Defense Minister Liberman’s Assessment:
Avigdor Liberman, a former Israeli defence minister and a right-wing politician, wrote in a social media post on June 14: “A catastrophe from Israel’s perspective”.
Implications and Strategic Significance
Defense Minister Katz said “holding territory and maintaining security zones are among the IDF’s greatest achievements”. Katz also warned Iran that if it attacks Israel in response to its campaign in Lebanon, Israel would retaliate with “full force”.
“We will not compromise on Israel’s paramount security interest and the protection of our citizens, and we will not withdraw from the security zones,” Katz said.
Even before the announcement came on June 14, the details that had surfaced in news media reports prompted a flood of criticism and expressions of discontent from Israelis spanning the country’s political spectrum. Israelis across the political spectrum have said the agreement appears to leave fundamental security threats posed by Iran unaddressed.
US President Trump said the attack delayed the signing of a US-Iran deal by a few hours. Trump told Axios that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu failed to give “very late notice” about strikes on Iran, and Trump said the attack “should not have happened”.
Current Status
The defense minister said Netanyahu had informed Trump about Israel’s position on not withdrawing from Lebanon. Katz stated that regardless of what happens, “President Trump will declare victory, a total win,” according to Nagel’s analysis.
The memorandum of understanding remains pending finalization ahead of the June 19 signing in Switzerland. Iran has signaled that continued Israeli aggression in Lebanon would collapse the fragile process, leaving the deal’s fate uncertain as the signing date approaches.
Sources: Straits Times, The New York Times, BBC, Jerusalem Post, Reuters — June 14-15, 2026
Content Disclaimer: This report covers developing military and diplomatic events characterized differently by Israeli government officials, US officials, and Iranian officials. The US-Iran agreement includes provisions for cessation of military operations that Israeli officials say do not bind Israel. Readers should consult multiple verified sources for broader context.
