Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Tuesday warned Lebanon that if it doesn’t enforce the ceasefire with Hezbollah, the IDF would no longer differentiate between Hezbollah and the state of Lebanon.

Speaking on a visit to the northern border, Katz said: “The main message I came to convey here: our policy, together with the IDF, is clear and unequivocal – we will act with all our might to enforce all the understandings of the ceasefire agreement, and we will have maximum response and zero tolerance.”

“Yesterday was the first test. Shots were fired toward Har Dov as if it were outside the usual discourse or subject to interpretation. For us, it is not subject to any interpretation. We responded with force, and that is exactly what we will do, and we will not allow Hezbollah to return to the old methods that existed, such as the tents they established  We are not at all in those places. Everything that was will not be.”

“The second message is for the Lebanese government that needs to make a decision to empower the Lebanese army to enforce their part, to keep Hezbollah away from the Litani [River] and dismantle all the terror infrastructure.”

“If they don’t do this and the whole agreement collapses, then the reality will be very clear. First of all, if we return to war, we will act with force, we will go deeper, and the most important thing they need to know is there will no longer be any exemption for the state of Lebanon.”

“If until now, we differentiated between the state of Lebanon and Hezbollah and between all of Beirut and Dahieh, that will no longer be,” Katz concluded.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)