New Delhi:
Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that his country has defeated Hezbollah and that eliminating its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was the crowing achievement. “Now it’s our job to continue to put pressure in order to bring about the fruits of that victory,” Katz said during a ceremony at Israel’s foreign ministry.
Katz said Israel is not interested in meddling in internal Labanese Politics as Israel has “Learned our Lessons” but that he hoped an international coalition would capitalize on this opportunity politically and that Lebanon would join other countries in normalizing relations with Israel.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he Okayed a deadly September attack on Hezbollah communications devices which exploded in Lebanon, the first time Israel has admitted involvement. Hezbollah had previously blamed its arch-foe for the blasts that dealt a major blow to the Iran backed militant group and vowed revenge.
“Netanyahu confirmed Sunday that he greenlighted the pager operation in Lebanon,” his spokesman Omer Dostri told AFP of the attacks. Hand-held devices used by Hezbollah operatives detonated two days in a row in supermarkets, on streets and at funerals in mid-September. They killed nearly 40 people and wounded nearly 3,000 and preceded Israel’s ongoing military operation in Lebanon.
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Hezbollah began low-intensity strikes on Israel in support of Hamas following its ally’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war. Strikes had intensified since war broke out in Lebanon in late September when Israel escalated its air campaign against Hezbollah and later sent ground troops into south Lebanon.
