Netanyahu claims visiting south Lebanon, says 'threat of invasion' removed
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces had eliminated the threat of an invasion by Hezbollah fighters during an alleged visit to troops in southern Lebanon.
His reported visit comes two days before officials from Lebanon, Israel and the United States are due to hold direct talks in Washington.
"The war continues, including within the security zone in Lebanon," Netanyahu said in a video released by his office, which showed him wearing a flak jacket and surrounded by masked soldiers.
"What we are seeing is that we have thwarted the threat of an invasion from Lebanon through this security zone," he said, adding that he was accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir.
Netanyahu said the ground operations inside southern Lebanon helped in "containing the danger of rocket fire" from Hezbollah targeting northern Israeli settlements, adding that Israeli forces were also "dealing with Hamas" in the area.
"There is still more to do, and we are doing it," he said.
Israel's Home Front Command logged at least 10 rocket attacks from Lebanon into Israel on Sunday, but there were no reports of casualties.
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel a few days after U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader at the outset of the conflict on February 28.
Israel has responded with massive strikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.
On Saturday, commenting on the planned talks in Washington, Netanyahu said that "we want the dismantling of Hezbollah's weapons, and we want a real peace agreement that will last for generations."
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet
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