Israel's defense minister says military operations in Lebanon will continue despite ceasefire

Israel's military will continue to carry out operations in Lebanon for the time being and will not be withdrawing from the country despite the announcement ​of a new ceasefire, Reuters reported citing Defense Minister Israel Katz.  

Israel and Lebanon on Wednesday agreed to a new ceasefire following talks mediated by the ‌United States.

In a statement, Katz said that Israel's military would remain in swathes of southern ​Lebanon it is occupying as part of what Israel's government describes as a buffer zone meant to protect northern ​Israeli communities from Hezbollah attacks.

Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese residents, forced from their homes in the south ⁠by Israel's military since fighting began in March, would also not be allowed to return, he said.

Israel would also continue to "dismantle ​terrorist infrastructure in the area" while Israel had "freedom of action, backed by the United States, to strike in Beirut in response to ​attacks on Israeli communities and territory," Katz said, according to Reuters.

Israel invaded Lebanon in March in pursuit of Hezbollah after the Iran-backed group fired across the border in support of Tehran.

Fighting in Lebanon, which has killed thousands of people and driven more than a million Lebanese from their homes, has become a sticking point ​in negotiations to end the wider Iran war, with Tehran refusing to agree any peace deal with Washington unless a ceasefire ​also covers Lebanon.

Under the new agreement announced on Wednesday, the Lebanese military is meant to take exclusive control over territory.