On Israel’s Memorial Day, Defense Minister vows to "dismantle Hezbollah" and warns: "Naim Qassem will pay with his head"

Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror opened this morning (Tuesday) with a state ceremony at the Hall of Remembrance on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, where the names of the fallen were read. Defense Minister Israel Katz attended the ceremony and spoke at length about the security situation and the IDF’s activity on multiple fronts, with a focus on Lebanon.

In his remarks, Katz linked Memorial Day to the ongoing fighting, emphasizing that even as the nation remembers its fallen, the IDF is operating on the ground: "Even as we gather here and commune with the memory of our fallen, in the midst of long weeks in which IDF forces are operating with power and determination in southern Lebanon, our commitment to the residents of the north remains clear and unequivocal — to bring security to the residents of the north."

The defense minister detailed the force deployment in Lebanon and clarified: "The IDF is positioned in the security zone in Lebanon up to the anti-tank line, to a depth of up to 10 kilometers — from the seashore in the west to the approaches of Mount Hermon in the east." According to him, from this line the IDF is working to thwart threats and prevent attacks on northern communities.

Katz stressed that operations continue even during a cease-fire: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I instructed the IDF to operate with full force, on land and from the air, even during the cease-fire, in order to protect our soldiers in Lebanon from any threat." He added that "any structure that threatens our forces and any route suspected of containing explosives must be destroyed immediately," noting that this is the objective of Operation "Silver Plow".

He then sharpened his tone toward Hezbollah’s leadership and issued a warning to the organization’s secretary-general, Naim Qassem: "The terrorist organization Hezbollah decided to attack Israel in the service of its Iranian masters, and it will pay the full price." He further said: "Whoever raises a hand against Israel — his hand will be cut off. We will not return to the reality that existed before October 7."

According to him, the overarching objective in Lebanon is clear: "The supreme objective of the campaign in Lebanon is to disarm Hezbollah and remove the threat from the communities of the north — through a combination of military and diplomatic steps." He emphasized that if the Lebanese government does not act according to its commitments, the IDF will continue to operate militarily.

Katz also addressed the Iranian arena and claimed that Israel had significantly harmed its capabilities: "The launch of Operation 'Lion’s Roar' came after Operation 'With a Young Lion,' in which we destroyed the Iranian nuclear program." He added that "we destroyed and damaged strategic assets throughout Iran," and that "the IDF is prepared and ready for any scenario that may come."

Meanwhile, Memorial Day events continue throughout the day: at 11:00 a.m., a two-minute siren will sound nationwide, followed by ceremonies at cemeteries. Additional state ceremonies will be held later at Mount Herzl and in Acre, and in the evening Memorial Day will conclude with the torch-lighting ceremony, which will open Israel’s 78th Independence Day events.