Israel escalates threats against Lebanon's Hezbollah, sparking fears of renewed conflict in the region.
Just a day after an Israeli airstrike killed four members of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force in southern Lebanon, Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, has warned that the country will step up its attacks on the militant group if Beirut fails to dismantle it. Katz's comments came as he accused Lebanese officials of dragging their feet on implementing a US-brokered ceasefire agreement.
Under the terms of the November 2024 truce, Lebanon agreed that only state security forces would be permitted to bear arms, effectively calling for the complete disarmament of Hezbollah. However, Beirut has struggled to enforce this commitment, with security forces having detonated so many Hezbollah arms caches that they have run out of explosives.
The threat from Israel comes as tensions in the region remain high, with Hezbollah still a powerful force in Lebanon and Iran's proxy group remaining armed and financially resilient despite being weakened by more than a year of hostilities with Israel. The Israeli government has maintained troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and continues to carry out regular strikes.
Katz's warnings have sparked fears that the situation could spiral out of control, with Hezbollah insisting that the disarmament clause applies only to southern Lebanon and hinting that renewed conflict is possible if Israel moves more broadly against it. The Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, has called for talks with Israel, but so far, the country's efforts to negotiate a peaceful resolution have been met with hostility from the Israeli side.
The situation in Lebanon remains delicate, with Beirut struggling to balance its commitment to the ceasefire agreement with its domestic pressures and Hezbollah's continued presence on the country's soil. With tensions running high, it is unclear whether the situation can be resolved through diplomacy or if violence will erupt again.
Just a day after an Israeli airstrike killed four members of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force in southern Lebanon, Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, has warned that the country will step up its attacks on the militant group if Beirut fails to dismantle it. Katz's comments came as he accused Lebanese officials of dragging their feet on implementing a US-brokered ceasefire agreement.
Under the terms of the November 2024 truce, Lebanon agreed that only state security forces would be permitted to bear arms, effectively calling for the complete disarmament of Hezbollah. However, Beirut has struggled to enforce this commitment, with security forces having detonated so many Hezbollah arms caches that they have run out of explosives.
The threat from Israel comes as tensions in the region remain high, with Hezbollah still a powerful force in Lebanon and Iran's proxy group remaining armed and financially resilient despite being weakened by more than a year of hostilities with Israel. The Israeli government has maintained troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and continues to carry out regular strikes.
Katz's warnings have sparked fears that the situation could spiral out of control, with Hezbollah insisting that the disarmament clause applies only to southern Lebanon and hinting that renewed conflict is possible if Israel moves more broadly against it. The Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, has called for talks with Israel, but so far, the country's efforts to negotiate a peaceful resolution have been met with hostility from the Israeli side.
The situation in Lebanon remains delicate, with Beirut struggling to balance its commitment to the ceasefire agreement with its domestic pressures and Hezbollah's continued presence on the country's soil. With tensions running high, it is unclear whether the situation can be resolved through diplomacy or if violence will erupt again.