Israel’s minister of military affairs, Israel Katz, has threatened to intensify attacks on Lebanon, vowing continued strikes until the Hezbollah resistance movement disarms—escalating tensions as the Tel Aviv regime persists in its cross-border aggression.
“There will be no calm in Beirut, and no order or stability in Lebanon, without security for Israel. Agreements must be honored and if you do not do what is required, we will continue to act, and with great force,” Katz said in a statement on Friday.
Katz claimed his threats of intensified attacks on Lebanon were in response to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s condemnation of Thursday night’s Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Aoun condemned the Israeli airstrikes carried out on the eve of Eid al-Adha, denouncing them as a flagrant violation of international agreements, presenting “conclusive evidence” of the occupying Zionist regime’s contempt for regional peace and stability.
“This is a blatant violation of international norms, UN resolutions and human decency, especially on the eve of a sacred religious holiday,” Aoun said in remarks reported by Lebanon’s official National News Agency.
He stressed that the targeting of the southern suburbs is “irrefutable proof of the aggressor’s rejection of stability, a resolution, and a just peace in the region.”
Aoun said that “it is a message sent by the perpetrator of these atrocities (Israel) to the United States of America and its policies and initiatives, first and foremost through Beirut’s mailbox and the blood of its innocent civilians. Lebanon will never submit to this.”
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also condemned the Israeli strikes, calling them a “systematic and deliberate assault on Lebanon’s security, stability and economy.”
Salam demanded that the international community should “shoulder its responsibility to deter Israel and ensure its full withdrawal from Lebanese territories.”
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri echoed the condemnation, saying the “Israeli aggression targets not just one sect or region but all Lebanese and Arabs – even in their holiest celebrations.”
On the eve of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, targeting the densely populated neighborhoods of Hadath, Haret Hreik, and Burj al-Barajneh.
On January 27, 2025, Lebanon had announced its decision to extend the ceasefire with Israel until February 18. However, since the beginning of the ceasefire, Israeli occupation forces have repeatedly violated the agreement by launching assaults on Lebanese territory, including aerial bombardments across the country.
Although the February 18 deadline has passed, Israel continues to occupy five key regions in southern Lebanon—Labbouneh, Mount Blat, Owayda Hill, Aaziyyeh, and Hammamis Hill—all located near the border.
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Israel was obligated to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26. The deadline was later extended to February 18, yet Tel Aviv has refused to comply. To this day, Israel maintains a military presence at the five border outposts of Labbouneh, Mount Blat, Owayda Hill, Aaziyyeh, and Hammamis
Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 208 people and injuries to more than 500 since the agreement.
Lebanon has condemned the continued presence of Israeli military forces, viewing it as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Senior officials in Beirut have expressed their commitment to take “all necessary measures” to remove the occupying troops from the country.
