Israeli Defense Minister Signals Escalation if Northern Strikes Continue

Israel's defense minister has indicated that the coming days will reveal whether rocket fire targeting the country's north will halt or prompt a military response directed at Beirut's southern suburbs.

The defense chief stated that the United States has endorsed the Israeli position that continued attacks on the northern region would be met with strikes on the Shia-controlled area south of the capital. Washington has communicated this stance to Lebanon's government, according to the statement.

The Israeli military will maintain its ongoing operations in southern Lebanon regardless of circumstances, the defense minister emphasized. The statement underscores the escalating tensions in the region and the potential for broader conflict if the current pattern of attacks persists.