Katz warns Lebanon will pay ‘increasing price’ as Israel strikes Hezbollah infrastructure

Katz’s remarks follow an Israeli Air Force mission earlier Friday on the Zarieh Bridge over the Litani River.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Friday that Lebanon would face growing damage to national infrastructure if Hezbollah is not disarmed, saying the Lebanese government would pay “an increasing price” as Israel expands operations against the Iran-backed group.

“This is only the beginning, and the Lebanese government and the Lebanese state will pay an increasing price through damage to Lebanese national infrastructure that is used by Hezbollah terrorists,” Katz said during an assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and senior military officials.

Katz said Israel would continue intensifying pressure until Hezbollah is disarmed.

“The Lebanese government, which misled and did not fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah, will pay increasing prices through damage to infrastructure and the loss of territory, until the central commitment of disarming Hezbollah is fulfilled,” he said.

His remarks followed Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including an Israeli Air Force attack earlier Friday on the Zarieh Bridge over the Litani River.

The Israel Defense Forces said the bridge had been used by Hezbollah to move operatives from northern to southern Lebanon in preparation for combat. According to the military, the group had also positioned rocket launchers near the crossing and used them to fire at Israel.

The strike was part of what the IDF described as ongoing operations against Hezbollah infrastructure.

Israel has recently increased troop mobilization along its northern border as officials consider the possibility of a ground invasion of Lebanon.

Hezbollah joined the current conflict following a joint US-Israel operation against Iran, describing its involvement as retaliation for strikes on Iranian targets.

The escalation comes after a previous round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that began on October 8, 2023 and ended with a peace treaty in November 2024.

Israeli officials say the agreement required the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah, a commitment Israel says was not fulfilled.

According to Israel, Hezbollah repeatedly violated the terms of the truce even before it resumed firing missiles across the border during the current conflict.