Israel Katz, Israel's defense minister, on Saturday warned Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that Lebanon would "pay the price" if it did not disarm Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia that dominates the south of the country.
In a televised statement to the president, Katz said that Lebanon had "made a promise and a commitment to implement the agreement and to disarm Hezbollah - but these things are not happening."
"If we have to choose between protecting our civilians and soldiers or the state of Lebanon, those who will pay the price will be the Lebanese government and all of Lebanon," Katz said, CNN reports.
After Joseph Aoun was elected president in January 2025, he vowed to restore the Lebanese army's monopoly on weapons in the country by disarming Hezbollah. But the militant group has continued to operate and last week carried out an attack on Israel following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Israel has responded with a fierce offensive across Lebanon, hitting Hezbollah not only in the south but also in the capital Beirut and Tripoli in the far north. Asked recently whether Israel was preparing a full-scale ground invasion, an Israeli military spokesman said: “All options remain on the table.”
Katz said Israel has "no territorial claims" in Lebanon, "but we will not accept the resumption of rocket attacks on Israel from Lebanese territory."
"That's why we are addressing you and warning you - do something and act before we do even more," Katz said in his message to Aoun.
