Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday evening vowed to drive Hezbollah away from the border with Israel beyond the Litani River.
After concluding a highly tense meeting with the heads of frontline communities along the Lebanon border, Gallant assured them that the approximately 80,000 residents living within 9 kilometers of the border will not return to their homes until security in the area is restored.
Gallant emphasized the preference for an international political agreement to ensure Hezbollah is pushed beyond the Litani River, based on UN Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War in 2006.
However, he noted, if this primary option fails, Israel will use all available means, including military action, to remove Hezbollah. (Yair Kraus)