Gantz tells Blinken that Israel will have to respond to rising Hezbollah attacks

War cabinet minister Benny Gantz told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday that the uptick in attacks by Hezbollah will require a firm Israeli response, as rocket fire by the Lebanese terror group continued to target towns on Israel’s northern border.

“Gantz stated that heightened aggression and increased attacks by Iranian-backed Hezbollah demand of Israel to remove such a threat to the civilian population of northern Israel,” according to an Israeli readout.

Gantz added that “the international community currently has an important role to play, and it must act to ensure that the state of Lebanon stops such aggression along its border,” the statement said.

No US readout was immediately available.

The message appeared to reflect an intensification of Israeli pressure on the US and other members of the international community to restore calm on the border through diplomatic means. Jerusalem is hoping that the US, France, or other foreign mediators will be able to broker the enforcement of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. READ MORE