Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz visited southern Lebanon on Wednesday, vowing to destroy infrastructure and keep troops in a so-called "security zone" as well as in Syria and Gaza. The comments came almost two months after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-sponsored framework deal that involves the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon's south and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the region, starting in test areas known as "pilot zones". The United States plans new talks in early September in Rome between Israel and Lebanon. Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have repeatedly vowed not to withdraw from the occupied "security zone" in southern Lebanon -- a strip of territory where Israeli forces operate that reaches around 10 kilometers (six miles) into Lebanon. "As the prime minister and I have clearly stated, we are not withdrawing from this security zone," Katz said during a visit to troops, according to a statement from his office. The Israeli military "is here to protect the northern communities and its own forces. We will clear this area and guarantee the security of the residents of the north. We will in no way withdraw from the security zones: not in Lebanon, not in Syria, and not in Gaza," he added. In southern Lebanon, Katz said the military was "destroying the underground infrastructure" in the area and "destroying all the houses". Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in early March with rocket fire aimed at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Israel has also carried out repeated incursions and bombings in Syria since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, saying it sought to establish a demilitarized zone in the country's south. In Gaza, Israeli forces occupy more than 60 percent of the war-battered territory. Last week, Netanyahu rejected a US-led plan for Gaza endorsed by Hamas, saying the Israeli military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed, and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens".
