Israel Defense Minister Katz Says Israel Has Defeated Hezbollah

Israeli outgoing Foreign Minister and new Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks during the Ministerial change ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
Israeli outgoing Foreign Minister and new Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks during the Ministerial change ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
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Israel Defense Minister Katz Says Israel Has Defeated Hezbollah

Israeli outgoing Foreign Minister and new Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks during the Ministerial change ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
Israeli outgoing Foreign Minister and new Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks during the Ministerial change ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, 10 November 2024. (EPA)

Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that his country has defeated Hezbollah and that eliminating its leader Hassan Nasrallah was the crowning achievement.

"Now it is our job to continue to put pressure in order to bring about the fruits of that victory," Katz said during a ceremony at Israel's foreign ministry.

Katz said Israel is not interested in meddling in internal Lebanese politics as Israel has "learned our lessons", but that he hoped an international coalition would capitalize on this opportunity politically and that Lebanon would join other countries in normalizing relations with Israel.



Russia Denies its Hmeimim Base in Syria Is Being Used to Supply Hezbollah with Weapons from Iran

A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 bomber lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, northwest Syria, on May 4, 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)
A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 bomber lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, northwest Syria, on May 4, 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)
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Russia Denies its Hmeimim Base in Syria Is Being Used to Supply Hezbollah with Weapons from Iran

A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 bomber lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, northwest Syria, on May 4, 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)
A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 bomber lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, northwest Syria, on May 4, 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)

Russia has asked Israel to avoid launching aerial strikes as part of its war against Lebanon’s Hezbollah near one of Moscow’s bases in Syria, a top official said Wednesday.

Syrian state media in mid-October claimed that Israel had struck the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar Assad, who is supported by Russia and in turn backs Hezbollah.

Latakia, and in particular its airport, is close to the town of Hmeimim that hosts a Russian air base.

“Israel actually carried out an air strike in the immediate vicinity of Hmeimim,” Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy in the Near East, told the RIA Novosti press agency.

“Our military has of course notified Israeli authorities that such acts that put Russian military lives in danger over there are unacceptable,” he added.

“That is why we hope that this incident in October will not be repeated.”

Israel has carried out intensive bombing of Syria but rarely targets Latakia, to the northwest of Damascus.

Israel accuses Hezbollah of transporting weapons through Syria.

The two warring parties have been in open conflict since September after Israel’s year-long Gaza war with Hamas — a Hezbollah ally — escalated to a new front.

Lavrentiev said that Russia’s air base was not being used to supply Hezbollah with weapons.

Israel stepped up strikes on Syria at the same time as targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian government forces and groups supported by its arch-foe Iran, notably Hezbollah fighters that have been deployed to assist Assad’s regime.

Israel rarely comments on its strikes but has said it will not allow Iran to extend its presence to Syria.