Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, vowing that his country’s forces would stay in the area as long as Iran-backed Hezbollah remained a “threat”.

“Our position is clear: we will not leave southern Lebanon until the threat has disappeared. And as long as Hezbollah, armed, is here and threatening us, we will stay here,” Netanyahu said according to a statement from his office.

He added that “Lebanon recognises Israel, Israel recognises Lebanon, and we say to Iran and to Hezbollah: leave this place, you no longer belong here… There are two sovereign states that want to live in peace”.