After Accusing the Lebanese Army of 'Negligence', Israeli Defense Minister Threatens Lebanon

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened that "the Israeli army is ready to carry out a military operation toward additional areas around Nabatieh and Litani in southern Lebanon."

Katz stressed that "we will not withdraw from the security zone as long as Hezbollah has not been disarmed throughout all of Lebanon."

He announced that "we established a security zone inside Lebanese territory covering an area of 700 square kilometers," adding that "we destroyed more than 60 villages in southern Lebanon that contained 23,000 homes."

Israel accused the Lebanese Army today, Tuesday, of "negligence" in curbing Hezbollah militia activities in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli army said its investigations revealed the continued activity of Hezbollah operatives at a facility that the Lebanese Army had declared it was addressing.

The army added in a statement that there is a "significant gap" between the Lebanese Army's statements and the reality on the ground.

The Israeli army released footage showing "the continued activity of Hezbollah operatives inside a military facility in southern Lebanon, and their attempt to transport weapons from it, months after the Lebanese Army announced it had inspected the facility."

The Israeli army statement reported that the understandings reached in 2024, which Israel and Lebanon relied upon until the launch of Operation "Roaring Lion," assigned the Lebanese Army the responsibility of removing weapons and military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah from southern Lebanon.

However, the Israeli army claimed that the Lebanese Army failed to execute this task as required, allowing Hezbollah to continue consolidating its military presence, enhancing its armament, and establishing military infrastructure in the region.

The statement added that the gap between statements and field reality persisted even during Operation "Shield of the Nation" carried out by the Lebanese Army in 2025, as the operation did not lead to dismantling Hezbollah's military capabilities or preventing the continuation of its activities and growing strength.

According to Israeli claims, the Lebanese Army was asked, through the American mechanism in December of last year, to deal with a facility in Kfarra that Hezbollah was using to store weapons.

The Lebanese Army later announced that it had taken the necessary measures, but the Israeli army alleged that Hezbollah operatives continued their activity inside the facility months later, transporting weapons and military equipment from it for retention.

The statement indicated that the released footage shows Hezbollah operatives loading weapons stored inside the facility onto a truck, adding that the Israeli army raided the truck and destroyed it along with the weapons removed from it.

The statement also alleged coordination between elements within the Lebanese Army and Hezbollah regarding the enforcement of security arrangements, which contributed to thwarting or delaying these activities and allowed Hezbollah to prepare in advance.

The Israeli army held the Lebanese Army responsible for ensuring the full and accurate implementation of the tasks assigned to it, stating that it expects more decisive actions and will not allow any breach that poses a threat to Israel's security. The statement concluded by accusing Hezbollah of dragging Lebanon into war in service of Iran during Operation "Roaring Lion," and launching thousands of rockets, including from areas south of the Litani River.