Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday morning issued a sharp warning to Lebanon, demanding that it take immediate action to dismantle terrorist organizations operating within its territory. Speaking at an international media briefing, Sa’ar accused Lebanon of allowing hostile groups to operate freely within its borders.
“We expect Lebanon to take action to uproot terrorist organizations acting within its borders against Israel. What we saw here is cooperation between Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas on the soil of Lebanon in order to initiate terrorist attacks against Israelis,” Sa’ar stated.
The comments came after Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck a Hezbollah terrorist in Beirut early Tuesday morning. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli attack on Beirut overnight, saying that "The continuation of Israeli attacks requires us to make more effort, to appeal to Lebanon's friends in the world and to mobilize them to support our right to full sovereignty over our country."
He added that "All violations of sovereignty, from within or without, must be prevented, as well as anything that provides a pretext for aggression. We will act in cooperation with the government to thwart any attempt to squander the opportunity to save Lebanon."
Sa’ar noted the targeted individual had been working with Hamas operatives to coordinate a "major imminent attack" against Israeli civilians.
“The terrorist posed a real and immediate threat, what we call a ticking bomb. Therefore, we had to eliminate the threat. Israel will continue to remove any threat to our citizens,” he added.
Turning his attention to Hamas, Sa’ar condemned the group for its continued aggression and brutal repression of Gaza's population. “Hamas continues to push for the renewal of the war, refusing to release our hostages, refusing to disarm,” he said.
“Hamas ignores the will and the rage of the citizens of Gaza. Their interest is the end of the war. But instead of listening to them, Hamas oppressed them brutally. Hamas murdered, after torturing, demonstrators from Gaza Strip this week.”
Sa’ar also referenced a recent report by the British Parliament detailing atrocities committed by Hamas during the October 7th massacre, including "horrifying sexual crimes." “This is not a report from Israel. It is a report from the British Parliament. I recommend to read it,” he urged.
The Foreign Minister also announced that he will be traveling to Paris for a formal visit aimed at discussing regional security challenges with French officials. “I will discuss, with my counterpart and other seniors in the French administration and the Representatives, the challenges and threats of the radical axis in this region to all of us, mainly Iran,” he said.
In addition, Sa’ar expressed solidarity with the people of Thailand and Myanmar following a devastating earthquake. He confirmed that Israel had dispatched a team of twenty-one experts to Thailand and provided essential goods and food to Myanmar through its embassy.
“Israel stands with the people of Thailand and Myanmar following the tragic earthquake that took so many lives,” Sa’ar stated.
Sa’ar’s remarks underscore Israel’s ongoing security concerns and its determination to eliminate threats emanating from Lebanon and beyond.