Israeli defence minister hints at new war with Lebanon if Hezbollah refuses to disarm

Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz has warned that military action against Lebanon will be “inevitable” if Hezbollah does not agree to disarm, in the clearest indication yet that Israel is preparing for the possibility of a new cross-border war. Speaking to Israeli media on Tuesday, Katz said that Israel “will not tolerate an armed Hezbollah presence” along its northern frontier and insisted that the group must be fully disarmed in accordance with past international resolutions. “If Hezbollah does not comply, Israel will act forcefully,” he said, adding that the government “will not allow residents of the north to live under threat”. His remarks come amid months of escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, despite the ceasefire agreement that came into […]