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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued a stark warning to Hezbollah, urging the group not to intervene in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. Katz said Hezbollah should "remain cautious" and stressed that any involvement would be met with severe retaliation.
In a post on social media, Katz responded to statements by Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem, who had declared support for Iran in the face of Israeli airstrikes.
Referring to previous assassinations of senior Hezbollah figures such as Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, Katz said Qassem “has not learned from the fate of his predecessors.”
He accused Qassem of threatening Israel under orders from Tehran and warned that Israel’s patience toward groups posing a threat is “running out.”
“If Hezbollah launches attacks, we will eliminate them,” Katz stated, emphasizing that Israel sees Hezbollah as an active threat, not a neutral actor.
Qassem had said supporting Iran against Israeli aggression was a “duty,” while a written statement from Hezbollah warned that any assassination attempt on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would bring “heavy consequences.”
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