South Lebanon Security Belt was an area near Lebanon's border with Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) remained there after the South Lebanon Army's (SLA's) retreat during the years 1983-1985. This freed most of the Lebanese territory that were seized during Operation Peace for Galilee, the first Lebanon war, which began in 1982. The IDF retreated from the security belt to Israel's international border in 2000. Israel's stated purpose for the Security Zone was to create a space that separates the northern border towns and terrorists residing in Lebanon.