---
title: "Israeli defence minister says strikes underway in Lebanon are 'clear message' to Hezbollah"
description: "JERUSALEM, July 15 (Reuters) - Israel's ongoing military strikes in Lebanon send a \"clear message\" to Hezbollah, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday, accusing the Iran-backed Islamist group of seeking to rebuild its forces in violation of a ceasefire agreement."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-07-15-israeli-defence-minister-says-strikes-underway-in-lebanon-are-clear-message-to-hezbollah/"
published: "2025-07-15T13:05:36"
updated: "2025-07-15T13:05:37"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 200
---

# Israeli defence minister says strikes underway in Lebanon are 'clear message' to Hezbollah

> JERUSALEM, July 15 (Reuters) - Israel's ongoing military strikes in Lebanon send a "clear message" to Hezbollah, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday, accusing the Iran-backed Islamist group of seeking to rebuild its forces in violation of a ceasefire agreement.

By Reuters · Published 15 July 2025, 15:05 SAST · Updated 15 July 2025, 15:05 SAST

## Key points
- In a bold display of aerial diplomacy, Israel has kicked off a campaign against Hezbollah’s Radwan Force in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, sending a not-so-subtle reminder that ceasefires are meant to be upheld—unless, of course, you’re Hezbollah, who seems to think the rules only apply south of the Litani.
- Israeli military targets Hezbollah's Radwan Force in eastern Lebanon, injuring at least six.
- IDF warns Hezbollah against rebuilding raid capabilities, stressing accountability of the Lebanese government.
- Strikes come despite a November ceasefire deal aimed at disarming armed groups in Lebanon.
- Hezbollah claims ceasefire agreement pertains only to southern Lebanon, no immediate response to strikes.

## Content

The Israeli military said earlier on Tuesday it had begun striking targets belonging to Hezbollah's elite unit, the Radwan Force, in the Bekaa region of eastern Lebanon. The Lebanese health ministry said at least six people were injured in the Israeli strikes.

"The Israel Defence Forces' strikes currently underway in Lebanon are a clear message to the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which is plotting to rebuild raid capabilities against Israel through the Radwan Force," Katz said in a statement.

The strikes are also a message to the Lebanese government, which is responsible for upholding the ceasefire agreement, he added.

There was no immediate public response from Hezbollah or from the Lebanese government to the latest Israeli strikes.

Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire deal in November ending more than a year of fighting that had spilled over from Israel's war with Hamas in [Gaza](https://www.reuters.com/world/israel-hamas/).

The agreement calls for the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon and says that all "unauthorized arms" and military infrastructure should be dismantled, starting with southern Lebanon.

However, Hezbollah says the agreement applies exclusively to southern Lebanon.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Writing by Ahmed Elimam and Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Alison Williams and Gareth Jones)