Photo- Hezbollah and Iran flags . Hezbollah , a proxy militia of Iran refused to hand over its arms at the end of the 1975-90 civil war in Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah on Friday of trying to “sabotage” efforts to reach a peace agreement with Lebanon.
“We have started a process to reach a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it’s clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this,” he said in his first remarks after a ceasefire with Lebanon was extended.
The comments came as the Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah targets in a south Lebanon village in response to a “ceasefire violation,” after earlier warning residents to evacuate the community.
“A short while ago, the IDF struck military structures in the area of Deir Aames, from which rockets were launched toward the town of Shtula in Israel yesterday,” it said.
“The structures that were targeted were used by the Hezbollah terrorist organization to advance terrorist activities against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel,” it added.
The military’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, had earlier warned residents of Deir Aames to “evacuate your homes immediately and move at least 1,000 meters outside the area.”
“Due to Hezbollah’s terrorist activity, the IDF is conducting targeted operations in the area,” he said on X.
Deir Aames is located north of the so-called “Yellow Line” in Lebanon, behind which Israeli forces are operating despite the ceasefire.
On Iran, Netanyahu said he “had an excellent conversation” with US President Donald Trump, without specifying when the pair spoke.
“He is putting very strong pressure on Iran, both economically and militarily. We are working in full cooperation,” he added.
Later on Friday, the Israeli military said its forces killed six Hezbollah fighters in a southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil during a clash that included a firefight.
“Following the identification, an exchange of fire began between the terrorists and the soldiers, during which the soldiers eliminated two terrorists,” the military said.
“Subsequently, the soldiers struck the structure from which the terrorists had been operating. In the strike, the four remaining terrorists were eliminated.”
No surprise
To no one’s surprise, shortly after the announcement of the joint Israel-Lebanon talks, Hezbollah sharply escalated its rhetoric, framing the developments as humiliating and shameful for Lebanon. In a speech to the group’s rank and file, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem demanded the Lebanese government cancel the meeting. After the ceasefire was concluded, Qassem vowed to keep his fighters in the field, ready for combat in case of any Israeli violations. Criticizing President Joseph Aoun and indicating that Hezbollah was not concerned by Lebanon’s planned direct talks with Israel, Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qamati described the negotiations as a failure and “submissive.”
The majority of the Lebanese , including a silent majority within the Shiite community reportedly despise Hezbollah’s existing sway over Lebanese state institutions and consider its allegiance to Iran as a form of treason, accusing the group of prioritizing Tehran’s regional agenda over Lebanese sovereignty. Critics often describe Hezbollah as an armed faction operating outside the state, dragging the country into unnecessary conflicts to increase Iran’s influence in the region
News Agencies / YL
