Israel tells Pentagon chief will keep troops in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza 'security zones'
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz informed U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Israel is determined to maintain its military presence in 'security zones' it has established inside Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip. The statement comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw forces from Syria and Lebanon, warning the deployment was fueling tensions. Katz emphasized that Israel has never asked the U.S. to act along its borders. Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Israel has sent troops into a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights and conducted incursions into Syrian territory. In Lebanon, Israeli forces remain in a roughly 10-kilometer security zone, while U.S.-brokered talks in Rome aim for a phased withdrawal. In Gaza, Israel controls 60% of the territory and maintains a perimeter along the borders with Israel and Egypt.
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