Shafaq News- Middle East

The agreement with Lebanon allows Israel to take action against emerging threats, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, adding that the “security zone” established in Lebanon aims at preventing any potential “infiltration” from Lebanon into northern Israel.

In a conference of the Israeli Army senior command, Netanyahu affirmed that Israeli forces continue operations within the security zone as well as in areas north of the Litani River. “Operations in Lebanon are ongoing, as continued threats posed by Hezbollah’s rockets and drones,” he stated, addressing that Hezbollah’s missile and drone capabilities would contribute to broader disarmament efforts. “The group currently retains about 10% of the arsenal it held at the start of the war,” he claimed.”

Netanyahu suggested that disarming Hezbollah from rockets and drones will assist the US-brokered talks with Lebanon, calling the senior Israeli militaryofficers in the audience that he expects them “to solve these two problems, because on the diplomatic side, I believe we will be able to resolve things, if we have resolved this.”

Meanwhile, Israeli media, citing an Israeli official, reported on Monday that US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call that the ceasefire in Lebanon must be maintained.

On April 24, US President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, just days before the original 10-day truce, launched on April 16 to halt cross-border fighting, was set to expire on April 26.