Katz says Israel will demolish south Lebanon homes, block return of residents
The Israel Defense Forces will establish a "security zone" inside southern Lebanon with the military controlling the area and prohibiting the return of hundreds of thousands of residents -- even after the conclusion of the ongoing operation, Israeli Defense Ministry Israel Katz said Tuesday.
"At the end of the operation, the IDF will establish a security zone inside Lebanon -- on the defensive line against anti-tank missiles -- and will take security control of the entire area up to the Litani," Katz said, referring to the river 18 miles north of the Israeli border, in remarks released by Israel's Defense Ministry.
"In addition, the return south of the Litani of over 600,000 residents of southern Lebanon who evacuated north will be completely prohibited until the safety and security of residents of the north is ensured, and all houses in villages near the border in Lebanon will be demolished," Katz said.
"IDF forces are operating in Lebanon to protect the residents of the north and to keep direct threats away from them," Katz said.
"We are determined to separate Lebanon from the Iranian arena -- and to uproot the snake's teeth and remove Hezbollah's threat capability, and to change the situation in Lebanon once and for all with an IDF security presence in the places required -- with strict enforcement and absolute deterrence," Katz said. "Just as in Syria and Gaza -- so in Lebanon."
Katz said the IDF would follow the "Rafah and Beit Hanoun models," referring to two Gaza border towns that Israel destroyed in its offensive in the Palestinian territory.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller, Dorit Long, Joe Simonetti and Othon Leyva
