Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Monday night that Israel will “respond strongly” to mortar shelling from Lebanon by the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the late afternoon hours.
Hezbollah Resumes Cross-Border Attacks on Israel
Two mortar shells were fired by Hezbollah at the Mount Dov area. Both landed in an open area and no injuries were reported, the IDF said.
Hezbollah issued an official statement shortly after the mortar fire claiming the attack was a warning “in response to the repeated violations committed by the “Israeli” enemy against the ceasefire agreement,” calling the shellfire “a preliminary defensive warning.”
“Hezbollah’s firing at Mount Dov constitutes a serious violation of the cease-fire, and Israel will respond strongly to this,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
“We are determined to continue to enforce the ceasefire, and to respond to any violation by Hezbollah – minor or serious.”
At least two mortar shells were fired by Hezbollah terrorists at northern Israel at around 5 pm Monday evening, the first cross-border attacks from Lebanon since a shaky ceasefire began last Wednesday.
Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a similar statement, noting, “We promised to act against any violation of the ceasefire by Hezbollah – and that is exactly what we will do. Hezbollah’s firing at the IDF post in Mount Dov will be met with a harsh response. What was will not be.”
IDF Chief of Staff LTG Herzi Halevi also issued a statement regarding the mortar fire and other ongoing ceasefire violations by Hezbollah.
“We will respond decisively to Hezbollah’s severe violation of the ceasefire, and will continue to do so,” Halevi said at a situational assessment in the Northern Command, during which he patrolled southern Lebanon with the Commander of Northern Command and division officers operating in the region.
“We have plans and targets ready to be carried out at any given moment,” Halevi emphasized.
