Israel says will take 'control' of security zone in south Lebanon up to Litani river

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that the military will take control of south Lebanon all the way to the Litani river.

"All five bridges over the Litani that were used by Hezbollah for the passage of terrorists and weapons have been blown up, and the IDF (Israeli military) will control the rest of the bridges and the security zone up to the Litani," Katz said during a visit to a military command center in Israel.

Katz added that the hundreds of thousands of south Lebanon residents who were displaced by the Middle East war this month "will not return south of the Litani River until security is guaranteed for the residents of the north" of Israel.