Israel-Lebanon latest: Israeli soldier group warns Netanyahu ‘red line crossed’ and threatens to stop fighting

Over 100 Israeli soldiers have warned Benjamin Netanyahu a “red line has been crossed” over the government’s war strategy and threatened to stop fighting .

In a letter addressed to Netanyahu and his defence minister Yoav Gallant, 130 soldiers said they would lay down their arms if a hostage release deal was not secured .

“If the government does not change course immediately and work towards securing a deal to bring the hostages home , we will not be able to continue serving,” the letter read.

“For some of us , the red line has already been crossed, and for others, it is rapidly approaching: the day when, with broken hearts, we will stop reporting for service.”

The group includes both reserve and regular soldiers, some of whom have served in Gaza and on Israel ’s northern border since last year’s 7 October Hamas attacks.

It comes as Hezbollah targeted Israeli forces near the Lebanese border village of Labbouneh with artillery shells and rockets on Wednesday, injuring three soliders.

The conflict in Lebanon has escalated dramatically in recent weeks after Israel launched ground operations into southern Lebanon on 1 October that expanded further this week.