Israel to target Lebanon if ceasefire fails, defence minister warns

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned on Tuesday that if the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah breaks down, Israel will expand its strikes beyond areas where Hezbollah’s activities are concentrated and target the Lebanese state itself. 

Katz spoke the day after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon that killed nearly a dozen people. 

Those strikes came in response to Hezbollah firing a volley of projectiles due to what it said were previous Israeli violations of the ongoing ceasefire. 

“Our policy together with the IDF is clear and unequivocal. We will work with all our strength to enforce all the understandings of the ceasefire agreement,” Katz told Israeli troops on Tuesday. 

“We will meet (ceasefire violations) with a maximum response and zero tolerance.” 

Katz said that if the war resumes, Israel will widen its strikes beyond the areas where Hezbollah’s activities were concentrated and “there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon.” 

Israel largely refrained from striking critical infrastructure of the Lebanese armed forces during the 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. When Israeli strikes killed or wounded Lebanese soldiers, the Israeli military said it was accidental. 

The war appeared to have ended last week after the US and France brokered a truce. After taking effect, it gave 60 days for Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and for Hezbollah to relocate north of the Litani River. 

The new buffer zone is to be patrolled by Lebanese armed forces and UN peacekeepers. 

In recent days, Israel has carried out multiple strikes in response to what it says are violations by Hezbollah. 

Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days by launching airstrikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanon’s airspace.  

Additional sources • AP