Katz threatens Hezbollah with territorial losses if it joins Iranian attack

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Wednesday that Hezbollah would lose additional territory in Southern Lebanon if it joined Iran in a possible attack on Israel.

“Hezbollah will suffer a severe blow and lose additional territory in southern Lebanon, in the areas of Nabatieh and the Litani River, which will become part of Israel’s permanent security zone,” Katz said during a visit to Lebanon. He added that the Israel Defense Forces was prepared for the operation.

“The entire Shi’ite population up to the Awali and Zahrani rivers will be evacuated northward,” Katz said, threatening extensive strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure. “The Dahiyeh district in Beirut will also be evacuated, and its terrorist infrastructure will be struck. More than 1 million Shi’ites will become displaced in Lebanon.”

Reiterating that Israel would not withdraw from its existing security zones, Katz warned that Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem could face the same fate as his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah. “Nasrallah destroyed the Shi’ite community in Lebanon until he was eliminated, and Naim Qassem could destroy it completely, until he too is eliminated,” he said.