Visiting Lebanese Border, Israeli Defense Minister: Hezbollah Wants To Level Up, We Will Up Five Levels

JAKARTA - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant threatened Hezbollah for the umpteenth time, as Iran-backed militant groups continued to carry out rocket, missile and drone attacks on northern Israel.

"If Hezbollah wants to go up one level, we will rise five levels," Defense Minister Gallant said when meeting Israeli troops on the Lebanese border, quoted from The Times of Israel December 18.

"And it's up to you," he added to the soldiers.

"We don't want that, we don't want to get involved in a war situation. We want to restore peace," Gallant said.

The Minister of Defense also promised to restore security in northern Israel, so that residents of Lebanese border areas can return to their homes.

"And we will do this either through an agreement process, or with firm action, with all the implications," he said.

"We don't want war, but we won't hold it for too long," added Defense Minister Gallant.

Despite daily attacks from Lebanon, the IDF said its main focus remains on the Gaza Strip.

Earlier, Israel Defense Forces said it was launching a new wave of attacks on Sunday against Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, in response to attacks on the border.

A fighter jet and attack helicopter hit a number of buildings used by Hezbollah, and a drone attacked a group of militants. Meanwhile, other aircraft and tanks attacked Hezbollah's weapons and observation posts, the IDF said.

An IDF tank also opened fire on a launch site in southern Lebanon after a projectile was fired into the Gunung Dov area, the IDF said.

Several rockets were also fired into the Rosh Hanikra area, the IDF added, with no reports of injuries in Hezbollah's latest attack.