Israel Urges Lebanon to Disarm Hezbollah Amid Southern Strikes

An Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon killed five people, including three U.S. children and their father, prompting condemnation from Lebanese officials as an attack on civilians. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanon to fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah and remove the group from southern Lebanon, threatening intensified military actions if the pledge is not met. Katz emphasized that Israel will continue maximum enforcement to protect northern residents, citing recent Israeli strikes that eliminated Hezbollah operatives involved in logistics and weapons transfers. Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement in November 2024 that required Hezbollah's disarmament, Israeli airstrikes have persisted, raising fears of renewed conflict. Lebanon faces a complex dilemma in balancing the disarmament demands with maintaining national stability, as Hezbollah has complied with the ceasefire but remains armed. The ongoing tensions highlight the fragile state of peace in the region and the pressures on Lebanon to act decisively against Hezbollah.