Israel threatens to return to war in Lebanon and target the state itself if its truce with Hezbollah collapses

Israel last night threatened to return to the war in Lebanon and attack the state itself if the ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses after the deadliest day since a ceasefire was agreed.

In its strongest threat since last week’s agreement to end 14 months of conflict, Israel said it would hold Lebanon responsible for failing to disarm militants who violate the ceasefire.

“If we return to the war, we will take strong action… there will no longer be an exception for the state of Lebanon,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said.

Israeli forces have continued to attack what they claim are Hezbollah fighters, ignoring an agreement to halt the attacks and withdraw beyond the Litani River, about 18 miles (29 kilometers) from the border.

Smoke rises over Beirut after an Israeli attack on November 26. Israel last night threatened to return to the war in Lebanon and attack the state itself if the ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses after the deadliest day since a ceasefire was agreed

On Monday, Hezbollah shelled an Israeli military post, while Lebanese authorities said 12 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon. Another person was killed yesterday by a drone strike, Lebanon said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said any violation of the ceasefire would be punished. “We are enforcing this ceasefire with an iron fist,” he said. “We are currently in a ceasefire, I note, a ceasefire, not the end of the war.”

Officials in Beirut urged the US and France to pressure Israel to maintain the ceasefire. Interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati, quoted by a Lebanese news agency, said diplomatic communications had intensified since Monday to halt Israeli “violations.”

The US State Department said on Monday that the ceasefire “remains in place.”