Israeli Defence Minister Katz visits Mount Hermon. 28 January 2025. Photo: Ariel Hermoni/Mod
Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Katz, has issued a stark warning about the threat posed by Lebanese drones. According to the Minister, Israel will not tolerate the launch of drones from Lebanon and is ready to act decisively: “Either the threat of drones will stop, or the Hezbollah organisation will cease to exist,” The Jerusalem Post reported.
During a meeting with the commander of the 146th Division of the Israeli Defence Forces, Brigadier General Yiftah Norkin, Katz stressed that Israel would not tolerate any violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah, noting: “I advise Nasrallah’s successor not to make mistakes about Israel’s resolve, as his predecessors did, or he will have to pay a high price.”
These statements come just days after the Israeli army shot down a Lebanese drone in Lebanon that was not carrying out an attack but was likely gathering intelligence on Israeli defensive positions. The Minister also stressed the importance of zero tolerance for any violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah.
Initially, Israel planned to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon by 26 January, but after Lebanon failed to provide full security against Hezbollah’s return, the United States and Lebanon agreed to extend the withdrawal until 18 February. Despite this, Hezbollah has refrained from launching fire attacks against Israel, but has regularly checked Israeli defensive positions on the ground and recently used drones for aerial reconnaissance.
