As the political deadlock to form Lebanon’s government lingers, Israel has reportedly warned the Lebanese government via Paris that it might have to “deal sharply” with alleged Hizbullah missile sites in the country if the Lebanese government refused to do so, Israeli media reports said on Saturday.
Israel's Channel 10 news said Israel has asked France to deliver a warning message to Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.
Moreover, Israel’s daily Maariv reported that the message was delivered by Israel’s deputy national security adviser Eitan Ben-David, to a top adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to Jerusalem last Monday, to inform President Michel Aoun that the “Lebanese State must close the sites referred to.”
Ben David has reportedly told the French envoy that Israel has a time limit to end this file and that Tel Aviv is ready to wait diligently to find diplomatic solutions to this matter, according to the Israeli daily.
Israel “will act on its own” if the matter is not dealt with, it added.
These reports came weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed at the United Nations General Assembly that “Hizbullah has positioned three missile sites in Lebanon including one near Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport.”
This article has been adapted from its original source.
