PM Netanyahu vows ‘forceful response’ after Hezbollah breaks ceasefire by launching grenades at IDF on Mt Dov

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a strong response after Hezbollah took responsibility for launching two mortar grenades at IDF positions on Mount Dov earlier Monday.

“Hezbollah fire at Mt. Dov constitutes a severe violation of the ceasefire, and Israel will respond forcefully,” the prime minister stated in the evening.

“We are determined to continue enforcing the ceasefire and will respond to every Hezbollah violation – minor and major.”

Early on Monday afternoon, the IDF said it identified two launches toward Mount Dov that fell in open areas.

After numerous incidents in recent days where the IDF struck Hezbollah terrorists trying to return to southern Lebanon villages or being spotted in compounds used to store and launch rockets, this was the first oirect offensive violation of the ceasefire agreement, six days after it was implemented.

Hezbollah later stated, “Following the Israeli enemy's repeated violations of the cease-fire agreement, shooting at civilians, airstrikes in various areas of Lebanon, and the ongoing violation of Lebanese airspace, including in Beirut, we made a first defensive response as a warning towards the IDF post on Mount Dov.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz responded by reiterating that Israel “promised to act against any violation of the ceasefire by Hezbollah – and that is exactly what we will do. Hezbollah's firing at the IDF post in Mount Dov will be met with a harsh response. The situation will not continue as it was.”

A security source told Army Radio that the IDF is determined to “not allow an equation here where two missiles will be answered with two missiles – we will respond powerfully.”

The source warned that “this dynamic could lead to the collapse of the ceasefire,” indicating that the Israeli government is ready to risk the collapse while enforcing the agreement.

At the time of publication, Israel's response hadn't yet been implemented.

Just before Netanyahu’s statement on Monday evening, Lebanese media reported on a series of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, resulting in at least two deaths. However, security sources told Army Radio that these “are not yet the Israeli response to Hezbollah's shooting at Mount Dov. There will be another response later.”

Throughout Monday morning, there were several more incidents of the IDF firing on Hezbollah terrorists, Army Radio reported. The IDF recognized and prevented multiple attempts by Hezbollah to rehabilitate and repair its destroyed infrastructure.

Several military vehicles, including bulldozers and engineering tools, were attacked while operating near Hezbollah infrastructure used to produce missiles, while the Air Force also struck targets near the border crossings between Syria and Lebanon that were being used to smuggle weapons.

In one incident, an Israeli airstrike wounded a Lebanese Army soldier, according to Lebanese reports. The IDF said it would investigate the incident.

The Lebanese government claimed that Israel violated the ceasefire “more than 50 times” since it took effect last Wednesday. Over the weekend, France and the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, Amos Hochstein, the main architect of the agreement, also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire.

An Israeli official told the Axios news outlet that Hochstein said Israel was enforcing the ceasefire “too aggressively.”

“We hear claims that Israel is violating the ceasefire understandings in Lebanon. On the contrary! Israel is enforcing them in response to Hezbollah's violations, which demand immediate action,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in a video statement.

“For example, when armed Hezbollah terrorists are identified in southern Lebanon or when they attempt to move weapons. Their presence south of the Litani River is the most basic violation of the understandings. Hezbollah terrorists must not be present south of the Litani. They must move north immediately. I want to emphasize - Israel is committed to the successful implementation of the ceasefire, but we will not accept a return to the situation as it stood on October 6, 2023. If violations occur, Israel will enforce (the ceasefire understandings).”