Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israel will continue to hold all of the territory it seized during its invasion of South Lebanon.

Thursday’s ceasefire deal does not require Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have been destroying villages and infrastructure after ordering residents south of the Litani River to flee. The area makes up about 8% of Lebanese territory. Israeli forces have established a “security zone” extending 10 kilometres into Lebanon, he said.

He added that the Israeli military would continue to demolish homes in Lebanese villages, which he claimed were being used by Hezbollah.

“The IDF holds and will continue to hold all the places it has cleared and conquered,” Katz said in a statement.

The minister added that Hezbollah must be disarmed south of Litani river either through political means or through military activity after the ceasefire ends.