President: While Israel seeks peace, it must address Hezbollah threat

Israeli President Isaac Herzog emphasized that Israel does not wish to initiate a war with Lebanon but feels compelled to respond to threats posed by Hezbollah.

In an interview with foreign media, Herzog stated, “Israel does not want to start a war, but we cannot ignore the danger from Hezbollah.”

Addressing recent incidents involving explosions of communication devices in Lebanon, Herzog firmly denied any Israeli involvement, noting that Hezbollah has “many enemies” in the region, Caliber.Az reports.

On the morning of September 22, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported the launch of 105 rockets from Lebanon. Air raid sirens in northern Israel were activated twice, with around 85 projectiles entering Israeli territory, some of which were intercepted. An additional 20 rockets were detected over the Jezreel Valley, with debris falling in Kiryat Bialik, Tzur Shalom, and Moreshet, leading to fire department responses.

The day before, the Israeli Air Force targeted about 400 Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed the strikes aimed to disrupt Hezbollah’s military capabilities, noting, “We targeted around 400 launchers, including thousands of rocket containers.” He also reported ongoing operations in southern Lebanon in response to Hezbollah’s preparations for attacks on Israel.

Hagari declared a state of emergency in northern Israel due to the threat of further shelling, imposing restrictions on outdoor gatherings of over 30 people and indoor gatherings exceeding 300, with work and education allowed only in locations with shelters.