Jerusalem, Israel - Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday praised his country's capture of a strategic highland in Lebanon as solidifying Jerusalem's "security zone."

"The capture of the Ali Tahar ridge marks the completion of the phase of securing control in the security zone in southern Lebanon," Katz said in a statement.

Israel claimed that Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group originally founded to fight an earlier Israeli invasion, used the strategic high point to fire at Israeli targets, and had constructed a vast network of tunnels there which housed their command structure.

The Israeli military "will now complete the neutralization of the tunnels and prepare in the appropriate tactical manner to hold the ridge and prevent the enemy from reestablishing itself in the area", Katz said.

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He confirmed that Israel would not withdraw its troops from the area now the fighting was done, and said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will pursue a "clear and uncompromising line" on Lebanon.

"Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon and the threats over the residents of the Galilee are removed," Katz said, referring to Israel's northern region.

Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since early March when the militant group launched retaliatory attacks against the US and Jerusalem's war of aggression on Iran.

Israel has since carried out a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion that has killed more than 4,300 people, according to Lebanese authorities.