Israel vows to continue fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon despite Iranian threats

Israel’s defense minister vowed Monday to continue fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon despite a warning from Iran that such action could be met with “severe and crushing measures.”

In a statement, Minister of Defense Israel Katz said the Israel Defense Forces “will continue to operate in Lebanon against the terrorist organisation Hezbollah,” adding that Israel would again strike Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, in retaliation for “any attack on northern settlements” in Israel.

It was Israeli strikes on Dahiyeh over the weekend that sparked the most serious exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah since the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire came into effect in early April.

“We reject Iran’s threats outright,” Katz said. “Any Iranian attempt to link Lebanon and Iran and attack Israel will be met with great force, as happened yesterday.”

Iran’s military said earlier Monday that it was halting attacks against Israel, but it warned that, “should acts of aggression and hostility continue, including in southern Lebanon, much more severe and crushing measures than before will follow.”