Katz Vows Major IDF Strike on Iran as Middle East War Escalates
"The campaign against Iran is far from over," Katz said at a public event, as cited by a daily broadcaster. "The IDF (army) is prepared to strike Iran with great force," he added.
His remarks followed statements by US President Donald Trump, who pledged that Washington would continue striking Iranian targets in the wake of overnight bombardments following the downing of a US Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
Katz told attendees that fundamental shifts are reshaping the region. "The Middle East is changing before our eyes," he said. "If Iran attacks Israel, it will suffer a severe blow just as we did several days ago."
The defense minister also addressed ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, claiming that Israeli forces had cleared a Christian neighborhood in the southern city of Tyre following alleged Hezbollah activity there, as reported by Israeli media.
"We operate deep inside Lebanon against the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which acts on behalf of the Iranian regime, and we are dealing it severe blows," he said.
"The Israeli army evacuated a Christian neighborhood in the city of Tyre during the past day and attacked Hezbollah operatives who had taken shelter there," he claimed.
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee had previously stated that evacuation notices were issued for parts of Tyre over alleged Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire accord, warning that further orders would follow if armed operatives continued using the area.
The Christian enclave in northwestern Tyre is home to historic churches, heritage structures, and centuries-old alleyways that define the city's multicultural identity.
The latest escalation follows a weekend of cross-border strikes between Israel and Iran, triggered by Israeli attacks on Beirut before both sides temporarily pulled back. Regional tensions have remained elevated since joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February provoked Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and US-hosted assets across the region. A ceasefire brokered on April 8 subsequently collapsed amid implementation disputes and renewed hostilities.
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