Against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued an ultimatum to the Lebanese government.
Medianews.az reports that this was announced by the "Times of Israel."
Katz stated that if the Lebanese government does not prevent attacks by the Hezbollah group, Israel will take control of the area and do it itself.
"Yesterday, Hezbollah carried out heavy rocket fire towards the State of Israel. In response, the IDF struck Hezbollah targets in Dahieh and various locations in Lebanon with severe blows.
I warned the President of Lebanon that if the Lebanese government fails to control its territory, prevent Hezbollah from threatening northern communities and firing on Israel, we will take the area and do it ourselves," Katz said during an evaluation meeting with officers of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
It should be noted that due to the lack of concrete agreement in the negotiations between the US and Iran regarding the nuclear program, from February 28 onwards the US and Israel began military air strikes against Iran. In response, Iran has, since that date, attacked Israel and US military facilities in the region with rockets and drones.
On the first day of the military air strikes against Iran, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Iran's Assembly of Experts, by majority vote, elected Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's son, Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, as Iran's 3rd Supreme Leader.
Between March 1-5, the confrontation expanded further, encompassing various countries in the Middle East.
It has been reported that the US side suffered 8 dead and more than 140 injured.
As a result of the conflict, the region's energy infrastructure and maritime transportation have also come under serious risk. Due to security tension around the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices have surged sharply and several countries have called on their citizens to leave the region. //Trend