Katz threatens to conquer more Lebanese territory if Hezbollah joins Iranian attacks on Israel

Defense Minister Israel Katz has vowed to seize more land in southern Lebanon if Iran initiates an attack on Israel alongside Hezbollah. "If Hezbollah allies with Iran in an attack on Israel, it will suffer a severe blow and lose further territory in southern Lebanon, particularly in Nabatieh and the Litani River," Katz stated during a visit to the IDF's buffer zone.

This is the first time in recent months that an Israeli official has made such a specific threat to expand the security zone into Nabatieh, which the government had previously aimed to capture. Katz's threat could indicate a shift towards further expanding the security zone in some circles. However, Katz framed the territorial expansion as a potential retaliatory response, as Israel has frequently threatened adversaries during the election season.

The IDF has expressed frustration over previous calls for expanding the invasion, only to later be thwarted by the ceasefire. If Hezbollah attacks Israel and the IDF responds, Katz said the IDF would also force another evacuation of Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut, Dahiyeh, which has been done twice since 2024. This would displace over 1 million Shiites in Lebanon, a move Israel has already implemented temporarily.