Israel president says Europe should back fight against Hezbollah as troops operate in Lebanon

JERUSALEM: Israel’s President Isaac Herzog said on Monday that Europe should back his country’s fight against Hezbollah, as Israeli forces carried out ground operations in Lebanon.

Lebanon’s government said more than one million people have been displaced in two weeks of fighting, while Israel’s defense minister warned that those who left their homes in Lebanon could not return until northern Israel was secure.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Tehran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.

Israel has responded with broad air raids on its northern neighbor and troop incursions into border areas.

In an exclusive interview, Herzog told AFP that “Europe should support any effort, any effort, to eradicate Hezbollah now.”