Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday said that either drone threats from Lebanon will stop existing or Hezbollah itself will stop existing.
Speaking from an IDF position in Lebanon in a meeting with IDF Division 146 Commander Brig.-Gen. Yiftach Norkin Katz stated, "Israel will not accept the launching of drones from Lebanon," only days after the IDF shot down a Lebanese drone within Lebanese territory, which did not appear to be attacking but did appear to be collecting intelligence about Israeli defense positions.
The defense minister said, "I advise the successor of the successor of Nasrallah not to make a mistake regarding Israeli determination as his predecessors did - lest he pay a heavy price."
Katz was referring to Hassan Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for over 30 years until he was killed by the IDF on September 27, after which he was briefly replaced by Hashem Safieddine, who himself was killed on October 3, after which he was replaced by Hezbollah's current leader Naim Qassem.
Further, he encouraged the IDF troops there to maintain a zero-tolerance policy for even the smallest ceasefire violations by Hezbollah.
Ceasefire extended to February 18
Originally, the IDF was expected to withdraw from southern Lebanon on January 26, 60 days after the ceasefire with Hezbollah was signed.
However, after Israel asked for a 30-day extension, saying that the Lebanese military had still inadequately enforced preventing Hezbollah from returning to southern Lebanon, the US and Lebanon agreed to extend the IDF withdrawal deadline to at least February 18.
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