Bennett: Iran, Hezbollah Put Lebanon’s Citizens in Conflict With Israel

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett opened the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday by discussing the rising tensions on both the Gaza and Lebanese borders.

“Over the weekend, the IDF struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to arson balloons. I hope that Hamas understands the hint and exerts control over those responsible for the balloons. We don’t care if they’re ‘rouge’ or not, or any other excuse. Hamas is responsible,” Bennett said.

“When it comes to Lebanon, there is an important awakening against Hezbollah and Iran’s involvement in the country among many citizens. Among the serious economic and political crisis there, Iran and Hezbollah keep dragging them into conflict with Israel.

“The nation of Lebanon and the Lebanese Army need to take responsibility for what happens on their turf. Here, to, it’s less important to us whether it’s a Palestinian organization or independent rogue actors. Israel will not accept rocket fire at its territory,” the prime minister said.

The Cabinet meeting took place a day after Commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami met with deputy leader of Hezbollah Naim Qassem and congratulated him on Hezbollah’s latest clashes with Israel, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.

“I congratulate Hezbollah on demonstrating wisdom and honor in their handling of the Zionists. Hezbollah, which was born out of jihad, has made it clear to the Zionist enemy that they are surrounded on all sides,” Salami said.

Salami said that conditions were ripe “for the collapse of the Zionist entity, and all that remains to do is to create the conditions that will lead the Zionists to make a mistake that will cause the war that will bring death to that entity. Hezbollah’s latest moves prove to the new Zionist prime minister that the equation of resistance has not changed,” Salami told Qassem.

According to the IRGC commander, “the Zionists understand very well that Hezbollah has started its war engine. Now they will realize that they must withdraw from the territory they have occupied, because of the Hezbollah organization’s new military powers.

“It will not be a difficult mission for us to topple the Zionist regime,” Salami continued.

Qassem responded: “Hezbollah and the Lebanese people owe their latest achievement to the Islamic Republic of Iran, to the Revolutionary Guards Corps, and to their immense sacrifice for the goal of resistance.”

On Friday, Iran’s newly sworn-in President Ebrahim Raisi met with representatives from both Hezbollah and Hamas.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh headed a delegation of senior officials in the terrorist organization, who also attended the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday.

Shortly thereafter, Raisi met with deputy Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, only hours after the Lebanon-based Iranian proxy launched a volley of rockets on northern Israel.

Following the attack, and Israel’s retaliation, Qassem said that he did not believe that “the situation would escalate, but Hezbollah is ready at any time to defend Lebanon against any Israeli aggression.”