Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Israeli forces had destroyed more than 60 villages and 23,000 homes in southern Lebanon, while renewing a threat to seize additional territory if Hezbollah joined an Iranian attack on Israel.

In a statement reported by JFeed, Katz said Israel had established a security zone inside Lebanese territory covering 700 square kilometres, from the Mediterranean coast in the west to Beaufort, the Ali Taher ridge and the outskirts of Mount Hermon in the east, as protection against raids and direct fire on northern communities. "All 200,000 Shiite residents up to the Yellow Line were evacuated, and the IDF is operating in the area and dismantling terror infrastructure above and below ground," Katz said. As part of what he called Operation Silver Plowshare, Israeli forces "demolished more than 60 Lebanese villages in the sector, including 23,000 houses" — houses Katz claimed had served as Hezbollah positions and threatened Galilee residents. That characterisation is Katz's claim, attributed to him here.

Anadolu, reporting the same Tuesday remarks, said Katz claimed the destroyed villages and homes had served as Hezbollah military positions, and that Israeli forces had also destroyed underground tunnels and other infrastructure. Katz said Israeli troops would not withdraw from the territory until Hezbollah was disarmed throughout Lebanon, Anadolu reported.

Katz also warned that any rocket or drone fire toward Israeli towns would be answered with strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, the Dahieh. "If Hezbollah joins an Iranian attack on Israel, it will be hit hard," he said, adding that the military was prepared to carry out a manoeuvre toward additional areas in the Nabatieh and Litani sectors, and that any territory captured would be evacuated of its residents and permanently become part of Israel's security zone in Lebanon.

Anadolu noted the remarks came as Lebanese and Israeli military delegations held US-mediated talks in Tampa, Florida on Tuesday, and that a US-sponsored framework agreement signed on June 26 provided for a gradual Israeli withdrawal, deployment of the Lebanese army and the disarmament of Hezbollah — despite which, it reported, Israel has continued attacks on southern Lebanon. Sources: Katz's Tuesday statement via JFeed, and Anadolu via EuropeSays.