Israel will act ‘forcefully’ if Lebanon truce deal is breached – Minister

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz told the UN’s Lebanon envoy on Tuesday that any breach of a ceasefire deal that the security cabinet is set to vote on would result in Israel acting “forcefully”.

“If you do not act, we will do it, forcefully,” Katz told envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert when meeting her in Tel Aviv, adding Israel would have “zero tolerance” when defending its security interests in the future, according to a statement from his office.

“Any house rebuilt in south Lebanon and used as a terrorist base will be destroyed, any rearming or terrorist organisation will be attacked, any attempt at transferring arms will be foiled, and any threat against our forces or our citizens will be immediately eliminated,” said Katz in the statement.

The statement added that the previous situation in which Hezbollah had been able to build up military capacity in southern Lebanon despite the presence of the UN’s Lebanon force there, UNIFIL, would not be tolerated.

Israel’s security cabinet is due to meet on Tuesday to vote on the proposed ceasefire in its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, an official said, while the White House voiced optimism that a deal was close.

The United States, European Union and United Nations have pushed for a halt to the long-running hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into full-scale war in late September.

The United States, European Union and United Nations have pushed for a halt to the long-running hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into full-scale war in late September.