US Blames Hezbollah for Israeli Military Presence in Lebanon

A U.S. State Department spokesman issued a sharp statement overnight Saturday in an interview with Al Jazeera, placing full responsibility on Hezbollah for Israel's military presence in Lebanese territory. According to the spokesman, the militant organization represents the primary obstacle to Lebanon's reconstruction and economic recovery.

"Hezbollah bears sole responsibility for the Israeli presence on Lebanese soil," the spokesman said, emphasizing that "the Zahrani pilot" — referring to a specific demarcation line — "is the only practical route to achieving peace." He added that Washington expects the Lebanese army to complete clearing operations in these areas.

The American statement comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Jerusalem over Israel's continued presence in southern Lebanon. The Trump administration recently criticized Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz after he announced that Israeli forces would remain in the area.

A senior State Department official clarified at the time that "the United States expects all parties to act in accordance with the framework agreement they accepted, and Israel has made clear that it has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon."

Meanwhile, Lebanese sources reported overnight that Israeli Air Force strikes targeted the Ali Tahar area in southern Lebanon. According to local reports, the strikes were part of a series of operations aimed at neutralizing threats to IDF forces operating in the region. The Ali al-Tahar ridge is considered a strategically significant location in southern Lebanon, and according to previous reports, the IDF has been surrounding the area as part of a complex operation targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. The underground complex in the ridge reportedly served as the nerve center for Hezbollah's Badr Unit.

The developments follow an incident on Saturday in which three IDF soldiers were seriously wounded by an explosive drone strike in southern Lebanon. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that "the IDF is operating in accordance with the policy of the political leadership and removing any threat to our forces and our citizens."