Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Hezbollah, vowing to "crush its head" if the group violates the recently established ceasefire agreement. 

“We defanged the snake, and if Hezbollah does not withdraw beyond the Litani River and tries to violate the ceasefire, we will crush its head,” Katz said during a visit to an Israeli military position near southern Lebanon.

Katz emphasized that Israel will not permit Hezbollah operatives to return to southern Lebanese villages to rebuild their terror infrastructure. Such a resurgence, he warned, would pose a significant threat to Israel’s northern communities.

“We will not allow Hezbollah operatives to return to the southern villages and reestablish the terror infrastructure that will pose a threat to the northern communities,” Katz declared.

The defense minister reiterated Israel's objective of removing threats to its borders and restoring safety for residents in the north.

“We will ensure the removal of the threat and the restoration of security to allow the residents of the north to return safely to their homes,” Katz added.