Israel Claims US Supports Attack on Beirut's Fringe if Hezbollah Attacks Its Territory
JAKARTA - Israeli Defense Minister Katz said on Tuesday that the United States had expressed its support for a potential Israeli attack on the Dahiyeh suburb south of Beirut, Hezbollah's stronghold, if the Iran-backed group attacked Israeli territory in the north.
"The prime minister and I are leading a coordinated step with the IDF to establish a new equation. If Israeli cities continue to be attacked, we will evacuate and attack the Shiite majority Dahiyeh area in Beirut, the stronghold of Hezbollah," Israel Katz said at a conference, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (3/6).
"The United States supports this principle and conveys it to the Lebanese government and all relevant actors. Either the firing at the Israeli community stops, or - if the firing continues - we will attack in Dahiyeh. This equation will be maintained," he said.
As previously reported, US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israel agreed to stop fighting, adding that talks with Iran were going well after apparently reaching an impasse over Israel's attacks in Lebanon.
President Trump said on social media that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised not to send troops to the southern outskirts of Beirut as threatened, while Hezbollah had agreed "all firing will stop."
His comments came after Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran had suspended dialogue with the mediator in protest at Israel's expanded offensive in Lebanon against Iran's ally, Hezbollah.
"I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, from Israel, and no troops are going to Beirut, and any troops that were on the way have been sent home," Trump wrote.
"Likewise, through high-level representatives, I had very good conversations with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all firing would be stopped - that Israel would not attack them, and they would not attack Israel," he continued.