Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued a stark warning to Lebanon: stop the drones or there will be no Hezbollah.
The warning followed two incidents in which the Hezbollah terrorist army launched military drones at Israeli territory.
On Thursday (Jan. 30), a Hezbollah surveillance drone flew toward Israeli territory from Lebanon, but was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force.
The next day, the IDF once again intercepted a drone launched from southern Lebanon by the Hezbollah terrorist army. The drone was launched toward the northern Israeli community of Zar’it, but was intercepted before reaching its destination.
The drones “represent a breach of the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF pointed out on Friday. “The IDF continues to remain committed to the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon, and will not permit any terrorist activity of this kind. The IDF remains deployed in southern Lebanon and will operate to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel and IDF troops.”
Katz reinforced the message on Sunday during a tour of IDF posts in southern Lebanon together with the commander of the 146th Division, Brigadier General Yiftach Norkin.
The minister held a situation assessment discussion with the commander of the division, 11th Brigade, Col. N., and other commanders, to monitor the implementation of the extension of the ceasefire agreement.
The defense minister thanked the commanders and fighters for their implementation of the “zero tolerance” policy against the violations of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, and for the protection of the residents and communities of the north.
“In recent days, we have seen attempts to launch drones towards the State of Israel,” Katz noted.
“I want to send a clear message from here to Hezbollah and the Lebanese government: Israel will not accept the launching of drones from Lebanon.
“We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7. We will thwart threats and respond with full force,” he said.
“Either there will be no drones or there will be no Hezbollah. I suggest that the successor of the successor of Nasrallah not make a mistake about Israel’s determination as his predecessors did, lest he pay a very heavy price.”
