Israel says won’t withdraw troops from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza

JERUSALEM: Israel’s defense minister said Monday that Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely, hours after the United States and Iran agreed to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I 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,” Israel Katz said in a statement.