Netanyahu Visits Southern Lebanon Amid Ongoing Conflict
Israeli PM's Visit to Lebanon
Tel Aviv: On Sunday, April 12, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a trip to southern Lebanon, donning what appeared to be a flak vest, accompanied by senior military officials. During this visit, he emphasized that the ongoing conflict is far from resolved, claiming that Israel's adversaries are now "fighting for survival." The Prime Minister was joined by Defence Minister Israel Katz, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and Northern Command Head Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo. Footage from the visit depicted Netanyahu surrounded by soldiers wearing masks.
היום בלבנון עם הלוחמים הגיבורים שלנו pic.twitter.com/ycjhdZDNIL
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 12, 2026
Following his visit, Netanyahu proceeded to an IDF outpost near the border, where he received a briefing from Galilee Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Yuval Gez regarding the division's operations. During this briefing, Netanyahu reiterated, "The war continues. Our enemies are now fighting for survival." He stated, "I am here with the Defense Minister, the Chief-of-Staff, the Head of Northern Command, the Division Commander, and our reserve soldiers. There is a magnificent spirit here and a readiness to fight, and they are fighting well. The war continues, including inside the security zone in Lebanon, where I was just a short while ago."
Netanyahu also mentioned that Israel has effectively thwarted a potential cross-border invasion from Lebanon by establishing a security zone. He remarked, "What we are seeing is that we have thwarted the threat of an invasion from Lebanon thanks to this security zone. We are pushing away the danger of anti-tank fire and addressing the high-trajectory rockets, but there is still work to be done. We have done enormous work, achieved tremendous accomplishments, and there is more to do, and we are doing it." Last week, he announced that he had authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon. Following a 14-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Netanyahu asserted that this truce does not apply to Israel's military actions in Lebanon.