‘State-of-the-art’ Russian weapons present in Lebanon

This image taken from Lebanon’s southern metropolis of Tyre reveals a smoke plume erupting following an Israeli air strike on the village of Tayrdebba on October 16, 2024. Agence France-Presse

PARIS — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed a French newspaper that Israeli forces had discovered “state-of-the-art” Russian weapons in searches of Hezbollah bases in south Lebanon.

Netanyahu highlighted to Le Figaro newspaper, in an interview launched Wednesday, that beneath a 2006 UN Safety Council decision solely the Lebanese military was allowed to have weapons south of the nation’s key Litani river.

“Nonetheless, on this space, Hezbollah has dug a whole bunch of tunnels and caches, the place we’ve simply discovered a amount of state-of-the-art Russian weapons,” the French article quoted Netanyahu as saying.

READ: US warns Israel to not repeat Gaza destruction in Lebanon

The Washington Put up, quoting Israeli officers, has reported that Russian and Chinese language anti-tank weapons had been present in Israel’s raids inside Lebanon because it escalated its battle with the Iran-backed Hezbollah final month.

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The Israeli military didn’t instantly reply to an AFP query in regards to the prime minister’s feedback.

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Israel says the goal of its navy marketing campaign towards Hezbollah is to make the area secure in order that about 60,000 evacuated residents of northern Israel can return to their houses.

Many left their houses due to cross-border shelling between Israel and Hezbollah after the launch of the Gaza conflict on October 7 final 12 months.

READ: Israel kilos Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, killing mayor

“A brand new civil conflict in Lebanon can be a tragedy. It’s definitely not our goal to impress one. Israel doesn’t intend to intrude in Lebanon’s inside affairs,” Netanyahu instructed Le Figaro.

“Our solely goal is to permit our residents residing alongside the Lebanon frontier to go dwelling and really feel secure,” he added.

Hezbollah and Israel fought a regularly mounting artillery duel after the Hamas assaults on Israel set off the Gaza conflict.

Since Israel began raids on Hezbollah, at the least 1,373 individuals have died in Lebanon, in accordance with an AFP tally of Lebanese well being ministry figures. The actual toll is probably going greater.