In an interview with Israeli Channel 14, Katz affirmed that Israel is “acting against any threat,” adding that the United States “says that the Lebanese government will take over disarming Hezbollah.” He continued, “We are creating the atmosphere to give them a chance to do so, but we are not stopping the attack, and we have given the Galilee a quiet it has not known for about twenty years.”
The Israeli Defense Minister also pointed to his launch of an initiative to enhance protection in northern Israel, under the patronage of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting his visit to the Lebanese border and his pledge not to withdraw from it, saying: “Because it is our northern border and we are facing an enemy.”
In a surprising statement, Katz revealed that the Israeli army “bombed deep inside Lebanon, and managed to kill about 300 Hezbollah members since the signing of the ceasefire agreement.”
For his part, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack warned that “thousands of missiles deployed in southern Lebanon still pose a real threat to Israel,” calling for a solution to this issue through agreements that ensure security and stability on both sides of the border.
Barrack explained in his statements: “The Lebanese leadership is steadfast, but it must move at a faster pace towards limiting Hezbollah’s weapons.”
These exchanged statements between Washington and Tel Aviv coincide with the escalating tension in southern Lebanon, where Israeli raids and threats to escalate military operations continue in the event that Hezbollah’s activity near the border continues.
