Israel says Lebanon dragging his feet on disarming Hezbollah

Israel on Sunday accused Hezbollah of ‘playing with fire’ as it called on Lebanon to back the disarmament agreement and remove it from the southern parts of the country. “Enforcement of the maximum will continue and even intensify - we will not allow a threat to the residents of the north,” Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said as he issued a stern warning to Lebanon. He threatened Lebanon with a heightened military action against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, a day after the Lebanese health ministry reported four people killed in an Israeli strike.

“The Lebanese government’s commitment to disarm Hezbollah and remove it from southern Lebanon must be realized,” Katz says. “Maximum enforcement will continue and deepen – we will not allow a threat to the residents of the [Israeli] north,” he says. Israel and Lebanon militant group signed a ceasefire agreement in November 2024, Israel maintains troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and has kept up regular air strikes claiming to target Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Israel confirms carrying out an airstrike last night in southern Lebanon, saying it killed four members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force. The military says the primary target of the strike in Kfar Roummane was the force’s logistics chief. The military does not name the man, but said he was involved in transferring weapons and “attempts to restore terror infrastructure” in southern Lebanon.According to the health ministry, "the Israeli airstrike" in the Nabatiyeh district "killed four persons and wounded three in a preliminary toll".