A moment when the Israeli military carries out an airstrike on the Qasmiyeh Bridge in Tyre, southern Lebanon. [AP Yonhap News]

Israel, which has deployed ground forces into southern Lebanon to eliminate the threat from the armed group Hezbollah, which is participating on Iran's side, has announced plans to station its troops in the region until its objectives are achieved.

On the 24th (local time), Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that a "security zone" would be established south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon and would be directly controlled until Hezbollah's threat is completely eliminated.

In a battlefield assessment meeting with military leaders including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Minister Katz said, "The Israeli military will continue operations with all its might within Lebanon to annihilate Hezbollah."

He emphasized, "Until the safety of residents in northern Israel is fully guaranteed, we will not allow hundreds of thousands of residents from southern Lebanon, who have fled north, to return south of the Litani River."

He specifically mentioned that all bridges over the Litani River, which Hezbollah has used to transport troops and weapons to southern Lebanon, have already been destroyed, explaining, "The Israeli military will secure the remaining bridges and the entire security zone leading up to the Litani River."

He further reaffirmed his strong stance, stating, "Where there is terror and missiles, there will be no homes or residents. Those areas will be secured by the Israeli military."

Pro-Iranian armed group Hezbollah declared its participation and has been attacking Israel since the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the 28th of last month due to airstrikes by the United States and Israel.

Israel, citing the need to eliminate Hezbollah's threat, is conducting airstrikes on areas such as the Lebanese capital Beirut and the southern border region, and is sending ground troops across the border to suppress Hezbollah and establish a buffer zone.