Israeli Defense Minister Threatens Lebanon with "Heavy Price" if Hezbollah's Weapons Are Not Disarmed

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the Lebanese government on Saturday about the necessity of disarming Hezbollah, asserting that its failure to do so would make Lebanon "pay a heavy price".

Katz stated in a statement published by Reuters: "We have no claims to sovereignty over land in Lebanon, but we will not accept continued gunfire from Lebanese territory towards Israel. Therefore, we warn: Act and take the necessary measures before we take more actions ourselves".

In a related context, the Israeli army announced the failure of a special operation carried out by its forces in Lebanon to locate the remains of pilot Ron Arad, who disappeared in the 1980s. The army explained that the operation took place on Friday night near the village of Nabi Sheet in eastern Lebanon, and no trace of the missing pilot was found, denying any injuries among Israeli forces.

The army indicated that its forces encountered an ambush set by Hezbollah elements during the operation, where militia members opened fire on the Israeli forces.