Jerusalem: Tensions escalated further in the Middle East as Israel issued a sharp warning to Hezbollah following declarations of support for Iran by the Lebanese militant group’s leadership. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz took to social media platform X to caution Hezbollah against engaging in what he called “terrorism,” threatening that any hostile action would lead to the group’s downfall.
The statement came in direct response to comments made by Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naeem Qassem, who publicly reaffirmed the group's alignment with Tehran amidst the widening conflict between Israel and Iran. Qassem stated that Hezbollah is “not neutral,” and declared, “We are alongside Iran in confronting this global injustice… we act as we see fit in confronting this brutal American-Israeli aggression.”
Defense Minister Katz accused Hezbollah of acting under the direction of “the Iranian dictator” and warned, “If there is terrorism — there will be no Hezbollah.” His message reflected growing frustration within Israel’s security establishment as regional threats intensify from Tehran’s network of proxies. “I advise the Lebanese proxy to be cautious and understand that Israel has lost patience with terrorists who threaten it,” Katz concluded.
This war of words emerges just months after Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a temporary ceasefire following a 13-month-long border conflict that erupted into full-scale clashes last September. While both sides had momentarily de-escalated by November, the new regional dynamics sparked by direct military exchanges between Israel and Iran now threaten to draw Hezbollah back into a volatile battlefield.
The group’s declaration of loyalty to Iran places Lebanon in a precarious position, potentially reigniting frontlines along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Israeli military officials have repeatedly stated that they are prepared for multi-front engagement, and Katz’s latest statement signals a clear Israeli posture: any escalation from Hezbollah will be met with decisive retaliation.
