Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has visited troops in southern Lebanon, vowing that his country’s forces will stay in the area as long as Iran-backed Hezbollah remains a “threat”, AFP reports.

“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 has said, according to a statement from his office.

He adds 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”.