JERUSALEM, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel will continue attacks on Lebanon, after waves of Israeli strikes across the country reportedly killed and injured hundreds earlier in the day.
The strikes came hours after a ceasefire was announced between the United States and Iran. Israel said the two-week truce does not extend to Lebanon, despite Pakistan, which mediated the agreement, saying it does.
In a video statement, Katz said Israel would treat the war in Iran and in Lebanon as two separate arenas. "We insisted on the differentiation of the arenas between Iran and Lebanon in order to change the reality in Lebanon and remove threats from the residents of the north (in Israel)," he said.
Israeli forces would continue to operate "with power in Lebanon," he said.
He noted that the recent deadly strikes in Beirut and southern and eastern Lebanon were "the largest concentrated strike Hezbollah has suffered since the pager operation," referring to a wave of explosions of Hezbollah electronic devices in September 2024.
Katz also issued a direct threat to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, warning that "his turn will also arrive."
Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at Israel in early March to support Iran in the war. It marked the group's first attack since a ceasefire with Israel took effect on Nov. 27, 2024, during which Israel continued to carry out frequent strikes in southern Lebanon. Israel responded with a full-scale offensive, sending troops into southern Lebanon and destroying homes and infrastructure. ■
