Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs are “not off-limits,” as Israel expands its military operations amid escalating cross-border fighting.

The remarks came after Netanyahu and Katz ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to strike targets in Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut, marking an escalation following months in which Israel had largely avoided direct strikes on the Lebanese capital at the request of the Trump administration.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said Israel would not accept a situation in which Hezbollah continues to attack Israeli cities while its leadership infrastructure in Beirut remains untouched.

“There will be no situation in which Hezbollah attacks our cities and citizens while the terror headquarters in Dahiyeh remain off-limits,” Netanyahu said.

He added that Israeli forces were “deepening operations on the ground in southern Lebanon” and dismantling Hezbollah positions.

“We are eliminating Hezbollah strongholds. Hezbollah is on the run. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the north, just as we did for the residents of the south,” he said.

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a similar warning during a military ceremony, saying continued attacks from Lebanon would lead to further strikes on Beirut.

“If there is no quiet in the north, there will be no quiet in Beirut,” Katz said. “We will not allow a situation in which our communities and citizens are harmed while calm is maintained in Beirut.”

He added that the IDF was continuing both air and ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, describing what he called “significant gains” in efforts to neutralize threats to Israeli civilians and troops.

Katz said Israel’s objective was to push Hezbollah forces away from the border and establish what he described as a security-controlled zone in southern Lebanon around the Litani River.

“The goal is to turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists,” he said.

The defense minister reiterated that Israel would intensify operations if attacks continued, linking stability in Beirut to security conditions in northern Israel, where communities have been targeted by rocket fire and cross-border strikes.