Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to seize Lebanese territory if Beirut does not prevent Hezbollah from attacking Israel. Israeli forces occupy 

“Hezbollah launched heavy barrages toward the State of Israel yesterday. The IDF responded forcefully in the Dahiyeh [the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold] and against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon,” Katz stated on Wednesday. “I warned the president of Lebanon that if the Lebanese government does not know how to control the territory and prevent Hezbollah from threatening the northern communities and firing at Israel, we will take the territory and do it ourselves.”

Cross-border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah started after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Israel conducted a massive bombing campaign and used terrorists to kill Hezbollah’s leaders. In November 2024, Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire with Israel. 

However, Tel Aviv has violated the ceasefire by continuing the bombing and refusing to withdraw its forces from Lebanon. Until the US and Israel’s attack on Iran, Hezbollah did not launch any new attacks on Israel. 

Following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hezbollah launched large salvos of missiles at Israel. Tel Aviv has responded by escalating the bombing of southern Lebanon. 

Israel has pushed for the Lebanese military to disarm Hezbollah, which is a Shia group in Lebanon that operates outside of the control of the central government. If Beirut attempted to take Hezbollah’s weapons, a civil war could break out in  Lebanon.