Ground maneuver underway in Lebanon to remove Hezbollah threats near border
DM Katz: IDF begins ground maneuver in southern Lebanon; Evacuated Shiite residents will not return until Israel’s security is guaranteed
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that the Israeli military has begun a ground maneuver in Lebanon aimed at eliminating threats along the border and protecting communities in northern Israel.
Following a security assessment with senior military and defense officials, Katz said the operation by the Israel Defense Forces is intended to dismantle militant infrastructure and prevent attacks on residents of the Galilee and other northern areas.
“The IDF has begun a ground maneuver in Lebanon to remove threats and protect the residents of the Galilee and the north,” Katz said.
According to the defense minister, hundreds of thousands of Shiite residents who have evacuated from southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut will not be allowed to return to areas south of the Litani River until Israel determines that northern communities are safe.
Katz also said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military to destroy militant infrastructure in villages near the Israeli border, in a strategy he compared to Israeli operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
He referenced previous Israeli campaigns in areas such as Rafah and Beit Hanoun, as well as ongoing efforts to dismantle militant tunnel networks in Gaza.
The defense minister sharply criticized Naim Qassem, accusing the militant group of endangering civilians and acting as part of what Israel describes as an Iranian-backed regional alliance.
“Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for its aggression and its role in the Iranian axis seeking to destroy Israel,” Katz said.