Will not let Hezbollah rebuild terror infrastructure: Israel minister

Defence Minister Israel Katz visited an IDF outpost in Lebanon on Sunday to oversee the army's preparations to implement the next stage of a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

"We have extracted the serpent's fangs, and if Hezbollah does not withdraw beyond the Litani River and attempts to violate the ceasefire, we will crush its head," Katz stated. "We will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its terror infrastructure in southern villages, ensuring the safety and security of the residents of northern Israel."

During the visit, he conducted a situational assessment with division commanders and spoke with soldiers.

Under the terms of a two-month ceasefire that went into effect on November 27, Hezbollah is supposed to withdraw its armed presence from areas of southern Lebanon south of the Litani River. Israeli forces will also withdraw from southern Lebanon in stages. The Lebanese Armed Forces is to be deployed in southern Lebanon including along the 120 km border with Israel, as will monitors from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

After the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, Hezbollah began launching rockets and launching drones at northern Israel communities daily. More than 68,000 residents of northern Israel are displaced from their homes. Hezbollah leaders have repeatedly said they would continue the attacks to prevent Israelis from returning to their homes.

According to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah is forbidden from operating in southern Lebanon south of the Litani River.

At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 97 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014.