Israeli Minister of Intelligence: Hariri's Resignation is an Opportunity to Pressure Iran and Hezbollah

Israel Katz, the Israeli Minister of Intelligence, stated that Saad Hariri's resignation from the Lebanese premiership presents an opportunity to exert diplomatic pressure on Iran and Hezbollah, aiming to weaken and disarm Hezbollah in Lebanon. In an interview with the Associated Press and Israel's Channel 7 on Thursday, Katz mentioned that the government is planning to intensify pressure from the United Nations on Iran and Hezbollah in light of the new situation in Lebanon. According to Katz, Israel considers the time appropriate for implementing the 2006 UN Security Council resolution regarding the disarmament of militias in Lebanon. He added that Hariri's resignation "revealed the true face of Hezbollah and Iran" because "what we said, the world now sees with its own eyes; we said that Saad Hariri was a fig leaf because Lebanon is actually Hezbollah, and Hezbollah is Iran, and we consider this a red line." Katz claimed that "Iran has taken control of vast territories around Israel." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also stated on Sunday that Hariri's resignation is "a wake-up call for the international community to put pressure on Iran." Netanyahu remarked that when moderate Arabs and Israel speak in unison, "the world must listen." Last Saturday, during a trip to Saudi Arabia, Saad Hariri announced his resignation from Riyadh, sharply criticizing Iran and Hezbollah, stating, "Wherever Iran has stepped, it has left destruction behind." This comes despite Hariri having previously allied with Hezbollah to become Prime Minister of Lebanon for the second time last year. Hariri's resignation has created a deep political crisis in the Middle East, raising the possibility of military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The likelihood of war has intensified especially after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE urged their citizens in Lebanon to leave the country as soon as possible. The Jerusalem Post reported on Friday that "with Hariri's departure, Israel has greater operational space in the upcoming war with Lebanon." The Jerusalem Post quoted Yoav Galant, the current Minister of Housing and a former senior military official, stating that in a new war, "Lebanon will return to the Stone Age." Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also stated that in a new war with Hezbollah, his country considers all of Lebanon a military target because Hezbollah has taken control of Lebanon and "the job must be finished." Lieberman tweeted on Sunday, "Lebanon = Hezbollah; Hezbollah = Iran; Lebanon = Iran; Iran is dangerous for the world; Hariri's resignation proved this." Katz's remarks on Thursday about Israel's planned diplomatic offensive to pressure Iran and Hezbollah, along with statements from other senior officials regarding a new war with Hezbollah and Lebanon, coincided with a large-scale Israeli air exercise. According to Israeli media, the "Blue Flag" exercise, which has been ongoing for the past week, will continue in the coming days. The Israeli army also conducted another ground exercise near the border with Lebanon weeks ago to practice potential military operations against Hezbollah, according to General Gadi Eisenkot, the army commander. The last military confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006 resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people in Lebanon and widespread destruction in the country, along with the deaths of 120 Israelis, nearly all of whom were military personnel. The 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah ended with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which mentions the disarmament of Hezbollah and the absence of guerrilla forces below the Litani River. However, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah has emphasized that the organization possesses a far stronger arsenal than it did 11 years ago, with tens of thousands of rockets that can reach all of Israel and the Dimona nuclear reactor. Hassan Nasrallah has previously stated explicitly that "money, weapons, and everything we have comes from Iran."