Israel Threatens to Burn Lebanon as Ceasefire Nears Breaking Point
Speaking during a high-stakes meeting with UN envoy to Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Katz directed his warning squarely at Hezbollah's leadership. "(Hezbollah chief) Naim Qassem is playing with fire, and the fire will burn Hezbollah and all of Lebanon," he said, according to a statement released by his office. He followed the threat with an ominous declaration: "Fire will break out and engulf the cedars of Lebanon."
The defense minister accused the Lebanese government of continuing to "take cover" behind Hezbollah, and leveled sharp criticism at Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, alleging he was "gambling with the future of Lebanon." Katz made clear that Israel would not tolerate a ceasefire arrangement that allowed attacks on Israeli forces and northern Israel to persist simultaneously.
He further revealed that both he and Netanyahu had issued direct orders to the Israeli military "to respond with overwhelming fire against Hezbollah in the event of any damage, threat, or violation of Israeli sovereignty."
Aoun, for his part, struck a more measured tone Monday, stating that the ceasefire with Israel represents "a first and necessary step" for any future negotiations with Tel Aviv — a position he said had already been formally communicated to Washington, which is spearheading mediation efforts between the two sides.
The tensions come after Netanyahu ordered the army on Saturday to intensify its operations against Lebanon in direct response to Hezbollah attacks. Hezbollah has justified its drone campaign against Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon and northern Israel by citing what it describes as repeated Israeli violations of the truce.
A 10-day ceasefire, declared on April 17, has been repeatedly breached by Tel Aviv according to Lebanese officials. Last Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that Lebanon and Israel had agreed to extend the truce by three additional weeks following a second round of mediated talks held in Washington.
The human toll of the conflict has been devastating. According to Lebanese official figures, Israeli strikes across Lebanon since March 2 have killed more than 2,500 people, wounded over 7,750, and displaced upward of 1.6 million — numbers that lend urgent weight to the fragile diplomacy now under acute pressure from Katz's latest threats.
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