Israel's Katz Says Lebanon Ceasefire Allows Strikes on Beirut

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz declared on Thursday that the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, concluded in Washington, permits strikes on Beirut if Hezbollah targets Israeli residential areas. He emphasized that military operations in southern Lebanon will continue.

Katz stated, "The Israeli army will continue firing and ground operations at this stage and will remain in the security zone in Lebanon up to the 'yellow line,' including the Sheqif area, preventing residents from returning, while continuing to dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure," according to Agence France-Presse.

He added that Israeli forces have "freedom of action with American support to strike Beirut in response to any fire on Israeli residential communities and territory."

Earlier, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, known for his far-right stance, sharply criticized the ceasefire deal with Lebanon brokered by Washington, calling it "a big mistake."

Ben-Gvir wrote on the platform X, "The ceasefire with Lebanon is a big mistake," and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's advisers of "leading him to wrong choices."

On Wednesday, Lebanon and Israel reached a ceasefire agreement contingent on a "complete cessation of Hezbollah fire," as stated in a joint communiqué concluding talks held in Washington.