Israeli defense minister denies that IDF soldiers are being limited in their ability to respond to Hezbollah threats in Lebanon, amid reports the US is pressuring Israel to withdraw.By World Israel News StaffThe United States is pressuring Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, Al Arabiya reported Sunday, as Defense Minister Israel Katz insisted that Israel will not leave the security zone it established in Lebanon to defend towns in northern Israel.The report came amid growing signs of friction between Jerusalem and Washington over the future of southern Lebanon following the US-Iran understandings reached last week.Israel Hayom separately reported that a source close to the White House said an American demand for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon was “only a matter of time.”According to Israel Hayom, officials close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are preparing for such a demand, while Netanyahu has made clear to aides that leaving the security zone is a “red line.”Katz rejected any withdrawal from the area, saying the ceasefire announced Saturday leaves Israeli forces in place and does not limit their ability to act against Hezbollah threats.“There was not, and there is not, any limitation on IDF soldiers in Lebanon acting to remove threats,” Katz said on Sunday afternoon.“As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have clarified: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon,” he added.The dispute over Israel’s presence in Lebanon has emerged as one of the first major tests of the postwar diplomatic track.The Trump administration is seeking to advance a wider regional ceasefire framework, while Israel says it must retain operational freedom against Hezbollah and keep troops deployed along what it calls the yellow line inside Lebanon.Israel Hayom reported that Netanyahu’s associates described the situation with Washington as “definitely challenging.” A diplomatic source quoted by the paper said Israel would safeguard its own security, adding: “The enemies are around our borders, not anyone else’s, and we will act against them.”Katz said Israel’s recent operations in Lebanon showed that the IDF would continue acting against threats despite the ceasefire.“Following the harm to our forces, the IDF responded with great force, eliminated a very large number of Hezbollah terrorists and struck many terror infrastructures,” he said.Israeli forces struck about 300 terror targets over the past two days and killed around 100 Hezbollah terrorists, after Hezbollah fired more than 50 rockets at Israeli forces between Friday and Saturday.The fighting followed the IDF’s announcement of the deaths of Lt. Col. Dor Galdia Ben Shimon and three other soldiers in a serious incident in Lebanon.Katz said protecting Israeli soldiers and civilians remains the government’s top priority.“Preserving the lives of our soldiers and citizens is an absolute top priority,” he said.He added that Israel’s military achievements in Lebanon were being maintained through the IDF’s continued deployment in the security zone.“All of the IDF’s achievements in the campaign in Lebanon are being preserved, with our forces deployed in the security zone on the yellow line in Lebanon and operating from there inward against terrorists and terror infrastructure,” Katz said.“The ceasefire announced yesterday leaves the IDF in all positions in the security zone that protects the northern communities,” he added.The post US pressing Israel to withdraw from Lebanon – report appeared first on World Israel News.