Israel Defense Minister threatens Beirut suburbs and raises military alert

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued warnings that any rocket fire or drone attacks targeting Israeli cities or kibbutzim will be met with a strong response against the Dahiya neighborhood in Beirut. Katz also threatened to expand Israeli control into additional areas of southern Lebanon, specifically mentioning the Nabatieh and Litani regions, should Hezbollah join an Iranian attack on Israel.

Katz stated that the Israeli military will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains armed and the threat to northern Israeli residents persists. He claimed Israel has established a 700-square-kilometer security zone and has demolished over 60 Lebanese villages to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure.

In addition to these threats, Katz has ordered the military to raise its alert level ahead of upcoming elections to prevent attacks intended to disrupt the voting process. Security measures include preventing soldiers from leaving their bases, enhancing intelligence gathering, and strengthening military operations rooms. The military is preparing for potential multi-front escalations involving Hezbollah, Iran, and Houthi forces.