Israeli minister threatens Beirut strikes over rocket fire - Yeni Safak English

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday threatened to bomb Beirut's southern suburbs in response to any rocket or drone fire from Lebanon, warning that Israel could expand its occupation toward Nabatieh and the Litani River if Hezbollah joins an Iranian attack.

In a post on the social media platform X, Katz said residents of any newly occupied areas would be evacuated and the territory permanently incorporated into Israel's self-declared security zone. He also ruled out any withdrawal from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout the country, a condition that goes beyond the terms of existing ceasefire frameworks.

Katz claimed Israeli forces have demolished more than 60 Lebanese villages containing 23,000 homes, alleging they were used by Hezbollah for military purposes. He stated that Israel has established a 700-square-kilometer security zone inside Lebanon and displaced approximately 200,000 residents, according to the Anadolu Agency. The scale of destruction marks one of the most extensive campaigns in the border region in decades.

The threats came as Lebanese and Israeli military delegations held US-mediated negotiations at the US Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida on Tuesday. Despite a June 26 framework agreement providing for gradual Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament, Israel has continued attacks on southern Lebanon since March 2 that have killed and injured thousands and displaced over 1.5 million people. Israeli forces maintain occupation of multiple areas inside Lebanese territory, including positions held for decades and others seized during recent military operations.