Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued direct threats against Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, saying that Israel will not tolerate the launching of drones from Lebanon, warning that “the choice will be between stopping the drones or eliminating Hezbollah.”
Katz made the remarks during an inspection tour of the Israeli army’s positions on the border with Lebanon, accompanied by the commander of the 146th Division, where he conducted a security assessment with a number of officers and military officials, with the aim of following up on the implementation of the extension of the ceasefire arrangements, according to a statement issued by the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
During the meeting, Katz stressed what he described as the “policy of absolute zero tolerance” that Israel follows against any violations by Hezbollah, praising what he considered “the efforts of the army in protecting the northern settlements.”
In a warning message to Hezbollah and the Lebanese authorities, Katz said: “In recent days, we have witnessed attempts to launch drones towards Israel. I am sending a clear message: Israel will not accept the continuation of these attacks from Lebanon.” He added: “We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7. We will thwart the threats and respond with all our might.”
Katz concluded his statements with a further escalation, saying: “Either no drones or no Hezbollah,” directing a warning to the one he called “the successor to Nasrallah’s successor,” referring to the party’s Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, stressing that “he must not misjudge Israel’s determination, otherwise he will pay a very heavy price,” as he put it.