Israeli DM visits outpost in Lebanon, threatens decisive action if truce breached

JERUSALEM, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday visited an Israeli army outpost in southern Lebanon, threatening decisive action against Hezbollah if the group fails to retreat behind the Litani River as required under the ongoing ceasefire agreement.

The truce deal, effective since Nov. 27, demands Hezbollah move fighters and arms to the north of the Litani River and Israeli troops fully pull out of the south of the Blue Line within 60 days, with the Lebanese army taking over Lebanon's border areas.

Katz's visit to the outpost, which overlooks the Lebanese villages of Marun al-Ras and Yaroun, aimed to "oversee security arrangements before the next phases of the implementation of the ceasefire agreement," according to a statement by his office.

"If Hezbollah attempts to violate the ceasefire, we will crush its head," Katz warned in the statement.

He stressed Israel's determination to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its operational infrastructure in the area, which he said poses a threat to northern Israeli communities.

The defense minister met with top army commanders to review operational readiness at the border and to evaluate the preparations for the upcoming phases of the ceasefire agreement.

A fragile peace prevails in border areas between Israel and Lebanon as the ceasefire agreement ended 14 months of fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. However, the Israeli army has launched sporadic strikes in Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah militants violating the truce. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has once violated the ceasefire, allegedly in response to the repeated Israeli attacks. ■