Tue Dec 03 19:28:20 UTC 2024: ## Israel Threatens Expanded Lebanon Strikes if Ceasefire Collapses

**BEIRUT/JERUSALEM** – Tensions remain high along the Israel-Lebanon border after a fragile ceasefire, brokered by the US and France, was further strained by renewed Israeli attacks. An Israeli drone strike killed a shepherd in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, prompting fresh threats from Israeli officials to significantly escalate their campaign if the truce collapses.

The latest incident follows a day of intense fighting on Monday which saw at least 11 Lebanese killed in Israeli attacks, prompting retaliatory fire from Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to enforce the ceasefire “with an iron fist,” while Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning. He stated that if the ceasefire fails, Israel will target not only Hezbollah but also the Lebanese state itself, representing a significant expansion of their military objectives.

“If we return to war we will act strongly, we will go deeper, and the most important thing they need to know: that there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon,” Katz declared.

Lebanese officials have accused Israel of numerous ceasefire violations, including drone strikes, overflights, and the demolition of homes. Despite these violations, Lebanese officials, including caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, are actively engaging with US and French officials to pressure Israel to uphold the agreement. Mikati announced an intensified recruitment drive for the Lebanese army to bolster its presence in the south.

The US Department of State, while acknowledging the violations, maintains that the ceasefire is “holding,” and a US-led monitoring mission is scheduled to begin its work this Thursday. However, Al Jazeera’s Beirut correspondent Zeina Khodr noted that the ceasefire remains “on shaky ground,” with Israel attempting to establish a new reality where it reserves the right to conduct strikes against perceived Hezbollah threats. The future of the 6-day-old ceasefire hangs precariously in the balance as both sides grapple with the fallout from the recent violence.

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