Israel's Defence Minister Katz identifies 'disarming Hezbollah' as key war goal, IDF chief reacts (WATCH)

Israel’s newly appointed Defence Minister, Israel Katz, reaffirmed the country's commitment to its military objectives as the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah continues.

Israel Defence Minister Katz identifies 'disarming Hezbollah' as key war goal, IDF chief reacts (WATCH) snt

Sunita Iyer

First Published Nov 14, 2024, 10:43 AM IST | Last Updated Nov 14, 2024, 10:43 AM IST

Israel’s newly appointed Defence Minister, Israel Katz, reaffirmed the country's commitment to its military objectives as the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah continues. Katz, visiting the IDF Northern Command with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, emphasized that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will not halt operations until all of Israel’s goals are achieved, signaling a determination to press on with the fight against Hezbollah.

“We will not make any ceasefire, we will not take our foot off the gas, and we will not allow any arrangement that does not include the achievement of the war’s goals,” Katz declared. He outlined these goals as the disarmament of Hezbollah, its relocation beyond the Litani River, and ensuring the safe return of residents to northern Israel.

However, his remark about disarming Hezbollah raised questions, as it has not been a clear part of Israel's war objectives to date. In a video of Katz’s remarks, Lt. Gen. Halevi appeared to do a double take when disarming Hezbollah was mentioned, casting a brief glance at the defence minister as he spoke.

Katz emphasized that Israel would maintain its position on the "right to enforce [any deal] independently" and take action against any terrorist activity or organization.

“Now we need to continue to hit Hezbollah with all our strength,” he said.

These remarks come after Katz recently claimed that Israel has successfully "defeated" Hezbollah on the battlefield, despite ongoing attacks from the group.

“The blows we inflicted defeated Hezbollah and the elimination of [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah is the crowning jewel,” he said at a ceremony for new Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who took Katz’s place.

Israel’s task now is to “change the security reality in the north,” he added.

The defence minister also reaffirmed his focus on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, which he identified as his primary concern. In addition, Katz voiced his intention to ensure Hamas plays no role in Gaza in any potential peace agreements following the violence initiated by the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Katz’s appointment to the Defence Ministry follows a high-profile shakeup in Israel’s government, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired his previous defence minister, Yoav Gallant. The decision, which came amid widespread protests, was attributed to a breakdown in trust between Netanyahu and Gallant, particularly over the handling of the war and issues like conscription and negotiations with Hamas. Gallant’s dismissal marks a second such instance, the first being in March 2023 when Netanyahu dismissed Gallant due to disagreements over judicial reforms.

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