Netanyahu urges IDF to ‘vigorously attack’ Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

Although the Lebanese government has agreed to the ceasefire, Hezbollah has not agreed.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday night to “vigorously attack Hezbollah targets” after the military reported what it called a “blatant violation of the ceasefire understandings by the Hezbollah terrorist organization” when projectiles were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel.

According to the IDF, one of the projectiles was intercepted, while the other landed in an open area. No injuries were reported.

The military also said it intercepted an aerial target aimed at Israeli troops operating in Lebanon.

The incidents occurred despite an existing ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the ceasefire would be extended by three weeks following a meeting at the White House. The truce had been set to expire on Sunday.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the meeting “went very well” and added that the United States would work with Lebanon “to help it protect itself from Hezbollah.” He said Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to visit the White House “in the coming weeks.”

“They do have Hezbollah to think about,” Trump said. “We are going to be working with Lebanon to get things straightened out in that country. I think it will be a wonderful thing to get this worked out simultaneously with what we are doing in Iran.”

Although the Lebanese government has agreed to the ceasefire, Hezbollah is not acknowledging a truce.

The conflict between Israel and Lebanon resumed after Hezbollah struck Israel, describing the attack as retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on February 28.

The IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee on Saturday again warned Lebanese civilians not to return to southern Lebanon amid the ceasefire. Despite repeated warnings, civilians in southern Lebanon have been attempting to cross back into their villages in recent days, The Jerusalem Post previously reported.