Defense Minister Israel Katz told military correspondents Monday that the IDF destroyed a massive Hezbollah tunnel whose existence was previously unknown. Katz reiterated that the threat of a cross-border invasion persists, with 1,200 Hezbollah operatives between the fence and the Litani River. He also assessed that Iran has not yet decided whether to return to its nuclear program, and that renewed hostilities with Iran would constitute a third Iran war.
Defense Minister Israel Katz briefed military correspondents Monday evening, revealing new details about the campaign against Hezbollah. Katz described the destruction of a massive tunnel that the IDF had not previously detected — a finding that underscores the scale of the underground network still being uncovered in southern Lebanon. The tunnel required hundreds of tons of explosives to demolish, Katz said, adding that the Hezbollah invasion threat remains active with 1,200 operatives situated between the border fence and the Litani River.
On the diplomatic front, Katz stated that President Trump's decision to link the Iran and Lebanon negotiations — aimed at reaching a deal with Tehran — prevented Israel from delivering a devastating blow to Hezbollah across all of Lebanon. He reiterated that Israel will not withdraw from its security zones in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, and said he informed the commander of U.S. Central Command of this stance.
Regarding Iran, Katz assessed that Tehran has not yet decided whether to return to its nuclear program, and that renewed hostilities with Iran would be triggered either by Trump declaring the talks exhausted or by an Iranian attack on Israel — which Katz warned would constitute a third Iran war. As The Zioneer reported earlier Monday, Katz had already outlined the U.S. linkage's effect on Hezbollah and cautioned about the persistent invasion threat.
9 developments
- DevelopingKatz: IDF thwarting Hezbollah tunnels, destroying terror infrastructure near Lebanon border fence
- StrongKatz calls Lebanon deal a historic achievement, vows no IDF withdrawal until Hezbollah disarmed
- DevelopingTrump reportedly sides with Iran on demand that Israel stop attacking Hezbollah
- DevelopingKatz warns threat of Hezbollah invasion from Lebanon persists, reveals massive unknown tunnel
Source and signal
- Internal intake