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Israel will not refrain from striking Lebanese infrastructure in any future conflict with Hezbollah, a senior military official said Thursday.
“We will not draw a distinction between Hezbollah and Lebanon as we did in 2006,” an unnamed military official was quoted as saying by Israeli daily Haaretz.
“We will not hesitate to strike Lebanon and any Lebanese infrastructure that contributes to the fighting,” he said.
“The Israeli military, however, doesn’t believe Hezbollah is interested in a fresh round of conflict,” the official added.
In 2006, Israel launched a devastating war against Hezbollah during which at least 1,200 people, mostly Lebanese civilians, were killed.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday accused the United States and Israel of waging a media war to discourage Iranians, state TV reported, as the country faces economic hardship after the reimposition of U.S. sanctions."The goal of this media war is to create anxiety ... and pessimism among people towards each other and the authorities, and to exaggerate economic problems in the minds of the public," the television quoted Khamenei as saying, blaming the United States, Israel, and the Gulf Arab states. Erdoğan to visit Iran for Syria summitIranian citizens feel sting of US sanctions
Khamenei says US, Israel wage media war to discourage Iranians
The Israeli army on Thursday announced the conclusion of military exercises simulating combat scenarios with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia.According to an army statement, the drills included airborne exercises, helicopter and fighter maneuvers, and tank and artillery training.The wargames also simulated close-range urban warfare scenarios and rugged-terrain combat.The exercises marked the final stage of a 17-week battalion-level combat-training program aimed at enhancing coordination between the Israeli army and air force.The Israeli military conducts frequent maneuvers simulating potential combat scenarios with Hezbollah, with which it fought a major conflict in 2006.US envoy sees Israel keeping Golan Heights foreverIranian interior minister in Iraq for security talks
Israel concludes wargames envisaging war with Hezbollah
The U.S. ambassador to Israel said in remarks published on Thursday he expected Israel to keep the Golan Heights in perpetuity, in an apparent nod towards its claim of sovereignty over the strategic plateau captured from Syria in a 1967 war.Foreign governments, including the United States, do not recognise Israel's claim and President Donald Trump's national security adviser has said Washington's policy is unchanged.However, U.S. ambassador David Friedman suggested Israel was there to stay and said it was possible the United States would consider recognising Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in the future."I personally cannot imagine a situation in which the Golan Heights will be returned to Syria. I frankly cannot imagine a situation in which the Golan Heights is not part of Israel forever," he told the right-wing Israel Hayom newspaper.Friedman said there was "no one more undeserving of this prize" - control of the Golan Heights - than Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Since early in Trump's term, Israel has lobbied for formal U.S. endorsement of its control of the Golan. Trump has recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital, breaking with other world powers, but national security adviser John Bolton said last month a similar Golan move was not under discussion.In the past year and a half, Trump has twice ordered U.S.-led air strikes against targets in Syria in response to what Washington called the Assad government's use of chemical weapons against civilians."Relinquishing the high ground of the Golan Heights could put Israel at a great security disadvantage," Friedman said.The Golan Heights form a buffer between Israel and Syria of about 1,200 square km (460 square miles).Israel captured most of it from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel annexed the territory in 1981, a move not recognised internationally.Once willing to consider returning the Golan for peace with Syria, the Israelis have argued in recent years that the civil war in Syria and the presence there of an Iranian garrison backing Damascus show they need to keep it.Interviewed by Reuters last month, Bolton said: "Obviously we understand the Israeli claim that it has annexed the Golan Heights - we understand their position - but there’s no change in the U.S. position for now."Responding to those remarks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there "no way" he would give up to trying to win U.S. recognition.Asked, in light of Bolton's comments, whether it was possible the Trump administration would consider at a future date recognising Israeli sovereignty, Friedman said: "Yes, that's definitely possible. It definitely could happen." 
US envoy sees Israel keeping Golan Heights forever
Israel said Wednesday it would shut down its embassy in Paraguay.Israel will close its embassy in Paraguay and recall the ambassador to discuss the issue, according to a statement by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.The move comes after the Latin American country announced it would relocate its embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Luis Alberto Castiglioni said Wednesday said the embassy, which previously been moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, would be relocated to Tel Aviv."In a bid to assure a wide, fair and permanent peace in the Middle East, Paraguay wants to contribute to the regional diplomatic efforts," the top diplomat said.After the U.S. and Guatemala, Paraguay on May 21 moved the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.Israeli minister: no knowledge of Trump ordering Assad killedIsraeli court orders demolition of Bedouin hamletIsrael shuts Erez crossing with GazaIsrael's top court clears way for razing of Bedouin village in West Bank
Israel to close embassy in Paraguay