Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that his country is obligated to defend itself in the face of the Israeli attacks that affect it, while Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz affirmed that Hezbollah will not be the only one to pay the price of any attack, but rather the entire Lebanese state.
Aoun added, in a speech on the occasion of the Lebanese Army Day, that Israel is violating with increasing frequency, international resolution 1701, and its attacks on Lebanon are continuing.
He also stressed his country's keenness to resolve the disputed matters under the auspices of the United Nations.
The Security Council adopted Resolution 1701 on August 11, 2006, and calls for the cessation of all combat operations between Lebanon and Israel.
The Lebanese Army Day falls on August 1 of each year, after its establishment by French colonialism in 1945.
"We are also obligated to defend ourselves, our land, our waters, and our sovereignty," he added. "We will not relent in this."
Tension escalating
This comes in light of the escalation of military tensions between Israel and Lebanon, as the latter announced a complaint to the UN Security Council against Israel for its aggression against areas south of the country.
Last week, the Israeli army announced the reinforcement of its forces near the Lebanese border, in anticipation of attacks that Hezbollah had vowed to carry out, in response to the killing of one of its members in an air strike attributed to Israel near the Syrian capital, Damascus, on July 20.
Israeli plans
In the latest development, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that Hezbollah will not be the only one to pay the price of any attack against Israel, but rather the entire Lebanese state.
Israeli newspaper "Israel Today" quoted military sources as saying that Gantz and Chief of Staff of the Army Aviv Kochavi instructed the army to prepare targets for the Lebanese state to strike in response to any attack by Hezbollah - including infrastructure - to pressure the Lebanese state to curb Hezbollah from any military action Against Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army continues to mass its forces on the border with Lebanon.
Al-Jazeera correspondent quoted military sources as saying that Israel had installed medium-range surface-to-surface missiles and directed them towards Lebanon, as well as dozens of war pieces that were deployed in the Upper Galilee and the occupied Syrian Golan.
The correspondent said that the Israeli army was at the height of the build-up of its forces and artillery on the borders with Lebanon and on the front with the Golan.
He added that the Israeli army has set up dozens of military bases in the mountains and valleys, and placed artillery directed at Lebanon, which is of a sophisticated and modern type capable of reaching a range of about 40 km.
He cited, quoting an Israeli military source, as saying that the Israeli army had installed surface-to-surface missiles with a range of up to 80 km.