Israeli Settlement Minister Orit Struck confirmed that Israel imposes restrictions on carrying out attacks inside Beirut, but does not impose similar restrictions on military operations in southern Lebanon, in a position that reflects the continued hard-line Israeli approach towards the southern front.
Israeli Army Radio quoted Struck as saying that Israel “has established a new reality based on non-normalization of shooting at it,” stressing that any targeting by Hezbollah will be met with a harsh response.
She added: “If Hezbollah fires, we will respond painfully, and it will realize that this is not in its interest,” referring to the policy adopted by Israel in dealing with any attacks launched from Lebanese territory.
These statements come at a time when the southern Lebanese border is witnessing continuous escalation, with the continuation of Israeli raids on a number of southern regions and the exchange of military messages between Israel and Hezbollah.
Struck’s words are seen as an additional indication of Israel’s adherence to the policy of immediate response to any attack, in conjunction with continuing international pressure aimed at establishing the ceasefire and preventing the situation from sliding into a broader confrontation.
The Israeli statements also reflect the continued focus on southern Lebanon as the main arena of operations, at a time when negotiations and international communications regarding the security situation on the Lebanese-Israeli border continue.
These positions come amid escalating warnings about the possibility of expanding the scope of the confrontation, especially after the series of Israeli warnings that targeted southern towns and regions during the last hours, and the accompanying raids and separate targeting.
