Hezbollah Claims 'Right to Defend' After IDF Lebanon Strikes

Hezbollah issued a Monday statement claiming it reserves a 'right to defend its homeland and its people' after Israel demolished a major tunnel and struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. AFP-syndicated reports say the Iran-backed group accused Israel of violating the ceasefire while insisting it had adhered to it. For Israel, the threat underscores why the new Israel-Lebanon-US framework cannot rest on promises from a militia that answers to Tehran and refuses disarmament. Jerusalem's position remains that IDF freedom of action and a secure buffer zone are necessary until Lebanon dismantles Hezbollah's arsenal.