Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, issued a direct and strongly worded threat to the Secretary-General of Lebanese Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, vowing that he would pay a heavy price as a result of the recent military escalation. Katz affirmed in his statements that the intensification of rocket barrages targeting Israeli territory would not go unanswered with a deterrent response affecting the organization's leadership and military structure.
Katz clarified in a video message broadcast on Thursday evening that Hezbollah's attacks coincided with Israelis celebrating Passover, which he considered a provocation warranting severe punishment. He indicated that targeting civilians during their traditional holiday dinner places the party's leadership in the direct and central targeting circle during the upcoming phase.
The Israeli Defense Minister's statements included unprecedented aggressive language, as he vowed to make Naim Qassem meet the same fate as resistance axis leaders who were previously assassinated. He specifically mentioned Hassan Nasrallah and Yahya Sinwar, considering that the fate of the current Hezbollah leadership would be no different from those who preceded them in confronting the Israeli military machine.
Katz stressed that the Lebanese state and Hezbollah's supporting environment would bear the full and dire consequences of the policies pursued by the party's new leadership. He warned that continued rocket fire would lead to an expansion of military operations to include strategic and vital targets in various Lebanese regions without exception.
Regarding the field situation in the South, the Defense Minister affirmed that Israeli forces are systematically working to clear the border area of the presence of Hezbollah fighters and their supporters. He clearly announced that Israel intends to maintain full security control in the Litani region to ensure that rocket threats do not return to northern settlements.
The Israeli official indicated that the strategic objective of the ongoing military operation is the complete dismantling of Hezbollah's military capabilities throughout Lebanon. He explained that the Israeli army possesses the necessary plans and means to reach weapons depots and launch platforms wherever they are found, to ensure the long-term security of Israeli citizens.
For its part, field sources reported that Hezbollah had earlier announced the execution of a series of qualitative rocket attacks targeting military sites and settlement gatherings in northern occupied Palestine. These attacks came at a sensitive time, coinciding with the start of Jewish religious rituals, leading to a state of widespread alert among the Israeli army.
The Lebanese front has been witnessing continuous escalation for months, with the parties exchanging heavy shelling amidst Israeli ground infiltration attempts in border villages. Israel extensively uses its air force to strike what it describes as 'terrorist targets,' while the party continues to counter these attempts through ambushes, sniping operations, and guided missile launches.
Observers believe that Katz's statements reflect Israel's intention to prolong the military confrontation and impose a new security reality in South Lebanon that goes beyond international resolution 1701. Tel Aviv insists that future security arrangements must include a military presence or close monitoring of the area south of the Litani River to prevent the rearmament of the party.
In a related context, Israeli warplanes continue to launch raids on the southern Beirut suburb, the Beqaa, and areas deep in South Lebanon, resulting in massive destruction of infrastructure and residential buildings. Israeli military sources claim that these raids target command and control centers and strategic weapons depots belonging to Hezbollah.
On the political front, these threats raise international concerns about the region sliding into an all-out war that could include other regional parties, amid stalled diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire. The Lebanese government calls on the international community to intervene to stop Israeli aggression and protect civilians and national sovereignty, which are subjected to daily violations.
The Israeli Defense Minister concluded his statements by emphasizing that the Israeli army will not stop until it achieves all its declared objectives in Lebanon, indicating that military pressure is the only way to force Hezbollah to retreat. The field scene remains open to all possibilities given the insistence of both parties to continue fighting and achieve gains on the ground.
I have a clear message to Naim Qassem: You and your partners will pay a very heavy price for intensifying rocket fire on Israeli civilians.
شارك برأيك
Katz warns Naim Qassem of 'heavy price' and affirms continued security control over the Litani region