Residents of southern Lebanon won’t be allowed to return, Israel’s defense chief says

IDF to carry out large-scale, Gaza-style counterterror sweep in southern Lebanon, says defense minister, while holding on to territory until Hezbollah threat removed.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz held a strategic situation assessment Monday morning at IDF headquarters in the Kirya in Tel Aviv, together with senior Israeli army officials including Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai and Military Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder.

During the meeting, Katz recorded a video statement in which he threatened to eliminate Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem.

“The IDF began a ground maneuver in order to remove threats and protect the residents of the Galilee and the north,” Katz said.

Katz blamed recent Hezbollah attacks for the Israeli incursion, which has forced close to one million residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate.

“Naim Qassem, who boasts while hiding underground, is turning more than a million Shi’ites from his own community into refugees in their own country. He is a worthy successor to his predecessor, and if he misses Nasrallah so much — he will soon be able to meet him in the depths of hell.”

Comparing the operation in southern Lebanon to Israeli counterterror efforts in the Gaza Strip, Katz said Israeli forces are demolishing Hezbollah infrastructure near the Israeli frontier.

“We instructed the IDF to destroy the terrorist infrastructure in the contact villages near the border — exactly as was done against Hamas in Rafah and Beit Hanoun.”

He added that displaced residents of southern Lebanon will not be permitted to return home until the threat posed by Hezbollah against northern Israel has been removed.

“Hundreds of thousands of residents of southern Lebanon who evacuated will not return to their homes until the safety of the residents of the north is guaranteed. We promised security — and that is exactly what we will do.”