Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz considered that “Hezbollah has strengthened its presence in the south due to US President Donald Trump’s pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” and believed that “linking the Iranian and Lebanese arenas was an American interest, and had it not been for the link between the two arenas, Hezbollah would have collapsed.” He added: "Our army's stay in Lebanon will be long-term," and he continued: "We have no regional ambitions in Lebanon, but we will not withdraw before Hezbollah is disarmed." Katz said: “The Lebanese army will not suddenly turn into lions attacking Hezbollah.”