Israel believes that Hezbollah's Shiite militias in Lebanon are trying to rearm. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this at the weekly cabinet meeting. He stressed that Israel will “use its right to self-defense“ and will not allow new threats to emerge from Lebanon.
“As for Lebanon, Hezbollah is indeed constantly under attack, including these days, but it is also trying to arm itself and rebuild. We expect the Lebanese government to fulfill its promises, namely to disarm Hezbollah, but we will certainly exercise our right to self-defense, as stipulated in the ceasefire. “We will not allow Lebanon to become a new front against us and we will act as needed”, Netanyahu said, according to statements released by the prime minister's office.
Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz asked the Lebanese authorities to accelerate the process of disarming Hezbollah's military units and withdrawing them from the southern regions of the republic. According to him, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is delaying the implementation of these obligations. Katz warned that the Jewish state would continue to "use maximum coercive measures" to enforce the ceasefire in southern Lebanon and would not tolerate threats to the residents of northern Israel.
In early September, the Lebanese government approved a plan developed by the army command for the phased disarmament of all paramilitary groups in the country, including Hezbollah, in accordance with the demands of Israel and the United States. The plan stipulates that in exchange for the transfer of 50% of its missile arsenal by the Shiite militias to the Lebanese army, Israel will begin withdrawing troops from five strategic heights remaining under its control. after the conflict in 2024. According to this plan, the disarmament of Hezbollah units south of the Litani River should be completed by the end of November.