Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has issued a statement saying Hezbollah’s military and security activities are banned, hours after Israel responded to the Iran-linked group’s rocket and drone attacks by launching air raids on southern Beirut,
Al Jazeeera reports.
“We announce a ban on Hezbollah’s military activities and restrict its role to the political sphere,” Nawaf said.
“We declare our rejection of any military or security operations launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of legitimate institutions.”
The prime minister said all Hezbollah activities were “illegal” and called upon the security forces to “prevent any attacks originating from Lebanese territory”.
“We declare our commitment to the cessation of hostilities and the resumption of negotiations,” he added.
The Iran-allied Lebanese armed group said earlier on Monday that its attack was in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “in defence of Lebanon and its people” and “in response to the repeated Israeli aggressions”.
Israel responded by bombing Lebanon’s capital and killing more than 30 people and injuring 149, according to the state-run National News Agency.
In a statement on Monday, the Israeli army said an overnight strike in Beirut had killed Hussein Makled, described as the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters.
It claimed Makled was responsible for compiling intelligence assessments on Israeli forces and coordinating with senior Hezbollah commanders to plan attacks against Israel and said operations against the group would continue.
