Israel warns Hezbollah that Beirut could face similar fate to Gaza

JERUSALEM: Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday warned Iran-backed Hezbollah that launching a war would result in widespread destruction in Lebanon similar to that in Gaza, where Israel battled Hamas militants.

“If it (Hezbollah) makes this kind of mistake here, the ones who will pay the price will be first and foremost Lebanese citizens,” Gallant told soldiers on Israel’s northern border in remarks relayed by his office.

“What we’re doing in Gaza, we can also do in Beirut.”

Hezbollah’s chief said on Saturday the group was using new weapons in its attacks against Israel, as exchanges of fire on Lebanon’s southern border intensify while Israel battles Hamas militants in Gaza.

Over the past week, the Iran-backed group has “bolstered” its action “on the Lebanese front in terms of the number of operations, targets and the type of weapons”, Hassan Nasrallah said in his second televised address since the Hamas-Israel war began.

The Shiite Muslim movement has used “Burkan missiles”, for the first time, he said, adding that they could carry “a payload of 300-500 kilogrammes” (660-1,100 pounds).

The group has been using attack drones “for the first time in the history of the resistance” in Lebanon, he said, and has been flying “reconnaissance drones” deep into Israel daily, “some reaching Haifa, Acre and Safed” in the country’s north.

Nasrallah’s speech prompted a warning from Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who said Lebanese citizens would “pay the price” and added: “What we’re doing in Gaza, we can also do in Beirut.”