"Lebanese citizens should know that Hezbollah is their problem, not Israel, because if Hezbollah acts against the State of Israel, Lebanon will pay the price. I hope it will not happen, and we're here to be prepared for a moment I hope will not come," Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Tuesday as he visited a military exercise in the north of the country.
It was not the first time the defense minister, who is also the alternate prime minister, to issue such a warning. In July, Gantz said the IDF had been instructed to bomb Lebanese infrastructure if Hezbollah harmed Israeli soldiers or civilians.
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Gantz also signaled optimism about the prospect of an eventual peace deal between Israel and Lebanon, as the two countries are holding rare indirect talks on demarcating their maritime border.
"I also hear positive voices in Lebanon that are even talking about peace with Israel, who are implementing processes with us like shaping the maritime border," Gantz was quoted as saying in a statement from his office.
The IDF was conducting one of the largest drills in its history, which kicked off on Sunday. Dubbed "Lethal Arrow," the exercise was simulating a war with Israel's enemies along the northern border, where tensions are always high.
EXCLUSIVE: IDF Maj Gen Gershon Hacohen, Deputy Director of the 'Lethal Arrow', to @MatthiasInbar on why the IDF is using its entire offensive capability in 'Lethal Arrow' multi-front exercise: pic.twitter.com/oMX7vtrTvj
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) October 29, 2020
"The defense establishment must ensure security 365 days out of the year on every front," Gantz added. "A significant aspect of Israel's security is the IDF's readiness [for war]. I welcome this comprehensive training exercise that is taking place in almost every part of the country."
"Our enemies are not resting – not in the north, not in the south, neither near nor far – and we will continue to defend the citizens of Israel, continue to deter our enemies, continue to impair their armament efforts, and we will be ready for any battle," he said.
Assessments of Hezbollah's missile arsenal put its stockpile at some 130,000, many of which are precision-guided.
The terrorist organization's missiles have been hidden in, near, and under up to 200 villages in southern Lebanon. Locating and neutralizing these stockpiles might require house-to-house searches and close-quarter combat.
Hezbollah, which is a key player in the unstable world of Lebanese politics, has denounced the Gulf states' recent normalization treaties with Israel, though Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is backed by Saudi Arabia, which has quietly supported the Gulf's rapprochement with Israel.
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