JERUSALEM (VINnews) – Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that attacks on northern Israeli communities will be met with strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs, establishing a new “equation” of deterrence with U.S. approval.

“Dahiyeh in Beirut is no different from the communities in northern Israel,” Katz said. “If there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut.”

Katz stated that Washington has endorsed the policy and informed the Lebanese government that continued attacks on northern Israel would trigger Israeli strikes on Dahiyeh, the Hezbollah-dominated southern suburbs of Beirut. He added that the Israeli army is weighing additional operations in Lebanon.

“The test will be simple and will become clear in the coming days,” he said.

The comments came as Israeli forces have pushed deeper into southern Lebanon amid repeated ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Katz outlined Israel’s objectives: the immediate goal is to dismantle Hezbollah weapons south of the Litani River under Israeli control, while the long-term aim is to fully disarm the Iran-backed group.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz jointly ordered strikes on “terror targets” in Dahiyeh following what Israel described as ongoing Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks on northern communities, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced in April.

The new policy equates the security of Israeli border towns with that of Beirut’s southern suburbs, signaling a significant escalation if Hezbollah does not cease fire.