Israel weights military action against Lebanon

Shafaq News – Middle East

Israel could take new military steps toward Lebanon if the
Lebanese government fails to dismantle Hezbollah’s arsenal, Israeli media
reported on Saturday.

Channel 13 described the situation as “winds of war rising
in Lebanon,” noting that Israel views Hezbollah’s disarmament as an urgent
priority. The channel added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to
travel to Washington carrying intelligence on Iran’s missile threat and
Hezbollah’s arsenal in Lebanon, seeking Trump’s approval to escalate Israeli
operations ahead of Lebanon’s government confirming on January 5 that Hezbollah
has been disarmed.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Lebanon’s internal deadline
for completing the first phase of Hezbollah’s disarmament is less than a week
away. Previous Reports indicated that the United States set 31 December 2025 as
the cutoff for Lebanon to dismantle the group.

Citing a senior security official, the newspaper also noted
that while the Lebanese government genuinely seeks to neutralize Hezbollah’s
military capabilities, it faces significant obstacles. The official further
stressed that Israel intends to maintain control over key areas in Lebanon and
continue operations.

The Israeli army continues its attacks across Lebanese
territory, targeting individuals described by the army as Hezbollah members,
allegedly working to ‘’rebuild the group’s military capacity.’’

Despite a US-brokered ceasefire reached on November 27,
2024, Israel has maintained positions at five or more locations south of the
Litani River and carried out strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well
as Beirut’s southern suburbs.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has
documented more than 10,000 Israeli violations of the truce, while Lebanon’s
Health Ministry reports at least 340 people killed and over 970 wounded since
the ceasefire took effect.

Read more: Israel warns Lebanon: Deterrence or descent into new war?