Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, warned the UN’s envoy to Lebanon on Tuesday that Israel would respond “forcefully” if a ceasefire agreement, which the security cabinet is scheduled to vote on, was broken.
According to an official, Israel’s security cabinet will vote on the proposed truce in its battle with Hezbollah in Lebanon on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the White House expressed hope that a solution was imminent.
The protracted conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which turned into a full-fledged war in late September, has been called for to end by the US, EU, and UN.
“If you do not act, we will do it, forcefully,” Katz told envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert when meeting her in Tel Aviv, adding Israel would have “zero tolerance” when defending its security interests in the future, according to a statement from his office.
“Any house rebuilt in south Lebanon and used as a terrorist base will be destroyed, any rearming or terrorist organisation will be attacked, any attempt at transferring arms will be foiled, and any threat against our forces or our citizens will be immediately eliminated,” said Katz in the statement.
The statement went on to say that the past circumstances, in which Hezbollah was able to increase its military capabilities in southern Lebanon in defiance of UNIFIL, the UN force stationed there, would not be allowed to continue.
