TEL AVIV, March 12. /TASS/. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has said he ordered the army to prepare to expand its operations in Lebanon.

"The prime minister and I have ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare to expand the operation in Lebanon," Katz said at the Defense Ministry’s situation assessment meeting, according to the Ynet media outlet.

The defense chief added that he had warned Lebanon’s leadership that if it cannot control the country’s territory and prevent threats from the Hezbollah Shia movement and shelling attacks on Israel, then the Israelis "will take the territory" to do it themselves.