Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah will ultimately be disarmed south of the Litani River, either through political arrangements or continued military action once the current "temporary" ceasefire period concludes.

In a statement released on Friday, Katz said the Israeli army “holds and will continue to hold all the areas it cleared and captured,” describing the current truce with Lebanon as a temporary arrangement that does not alter Israel’s broader military objectives.

“We are inside Lebanon in the midst of a war against Hezbollah, with a temporary freeze and a 10-day ceasefire,” Katz said.

“The goal we defined — disarming Hezbollah through military or political means — was and remains the campaign objective to which we are committed,” he added.

He added that the so-called security zone between Israel’s defensive positions and the Litani River has not yet been fully cleared of militants and military equipment, and said this process must still be completed either through diplomatic understandings or continued Israeli military operations after the ceasefire period ends.

"The security zone between the security area and the Litani River has not yet been cleared of terrorists and combat equipment, and this must be carried out either politically or through continued Israeli military operations after the ceasefire ends," he stated. "If hostilities resume, any residents who return to the security zone will have to evacuate in order to allow the mission to be completed."

Katz reiterated that Israel’s goal of neutralizing Hezbollah’s military capabilities remains unchanged, stressing that the group would be disarmed “either politically or militarily” under sustained pressure on the Lebanese government and with backing from U.S. President Donald Trump.