BEIRUT: Israel on Monday warned to use all of its force to hit Hezbollah even after the killing of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah has stated that its fighters were ready to face any ground offensive in Lebanon.
Israel, earlier this month launched a wave of deadly air strikes on Hezbollah strongholds across Lebanon, and on Friday killed its top leader.
Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem, in a first televised address the movement was “ready if Israel decides to enter by land. The resistance forces are ready for any ground confrontation.”
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said: “We will use all the means that may be required… from the air, from the sea, and on land.” He said the killing of Nasrallah “is an important step, but it is not the final one.”
Hezbollah started low-intensity strikes on Israeli troops a day after the war between Hamas and Israel started in Gaza on October 7. The border skirmishes have rapidly escalated this month, leaving people across the region fearful of even more violence.
The Israeli strikes continued on Monday, killing a soldier in south Lebanon according to a military statement. Israel earlier this month said that it was shifting its focus from Gaza to securing its northern border, and has not ruled out a ground offensive with Hezbollah in order to achieve its objectives.
The strikes of Israel on Lebanon have killed hundreds of people over the past week and forced hundreds of thousands more to leave their homes.
Hezbollah and other groups started rockets, drones and some missiles at Israel over the same time, causing some injuries but no deaths.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called for a ceasefire based on a recent US-French proposal, seeking an end to the Israeli aggression against Lebanon. US President Joe Biden has also indicated he opposes an Israeli ground offensive. “We should have a ceasefire now,” he said.
According to Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad, more than 1,000 people have been killed since September 17. Chief of UN refugee agency Filippo Grandi said “well over 200,000 people are displaced inside Lebanon”, while more than 100,000 have fled to neighbouring Syria.
