Hezbollah could turn all of Lebanon into a war zone, IDF chief warns

Israeli Air Force fighter jets continued striking Hezbollah terror infrastructure across southern Lebanon on Saturday, the IDF said.

 Members of Hezbollah attend the funeral of Wissam Tawil, a commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan forces in Lebanon, January 9, 2024 (photo credit: REUTERS/AZIZ TAHER)
Members of Hezbollah attend the funeral of Wissam Tawil, a commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan forces in Lebanon, January 9, 2024
(photo credit: REUTERS/AZIZ TAHER)

Hezbollah could turn the entirety of Lebanon into a war zone, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said in a Saturday evening address.

"Southern Lebanon is a war zone and will remain as such as long as Hezbollah continues operating from within it," Halevi said. "Hezbollah may turn all of Lebanon into a war zone, there will be dire consquences for that," he warned.

Anti-tank missile lands on northern Israeli home

Israeli Air Force fighter jets continued striking Hezbollah terror infrastructure across southern Lebanon on Saturday, the IDF said, following rocket fire at northern Israeli border towns earlier in the day.

The IDF said that its aerial forces struck the source of the rocket fire on Saturday. Later that evening, a home in the northern moshav of Shtula suffered a direct hit by an anti-tank missile, Israeli media reported.

The result of a direct hit on a home in Shtula, northern Israel, January 13, 2024 (credit: VIA MAARIV ONLINE)
The result of a direct hit on a home in Shtula, northern Israel, January 13, 2024 (credit: VIA MAARIV ONLINE)

No one was harmed by the rocket's impact. However, significant damage was caused to the home.

In addition, fighter jets also completed an attack on Hezbollah positions in the area of the Meiss El Jabal and Yarine villages, in Lebanon's south. 

IDF: Hezbollah continuously violates UN resolution 1701

In a statement on Saturday, the Israeli military stressed that "Hezbollah’s ongoing terrorist activity and attacks against Israel violate UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

"The IDF will continue to defend its borders from any threat," it added.