Lebanon warns of 'new war' after Israel's retaliatory airstrikes
What's the story
Lebanon has warned of war after Israel pounded it with heavy artillery and airstrikes in response to cross-border rocket fire from its land.
The recent escalation is a major spike in hostilities in the Middle East, ending a period of almost three months of relative calm.
Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said the Lebanese government "bore responsibility" for any rockets fired from its territory.
Lebanon's stance
Lebanon's PM warns of a 'new war'
Lebanon's PM Nawaf Salam warned that Israel's attacks could take the country into a "new war."
"All security and military measures must be taken to show that Lebanon decides on matters of war and peace," he added.
This warning follows Israeli airstrikes on two towns in southern Lebanon and three others closer to the border.
Regional conflict
Israel's military offensive in Gaza
Things took a turn for the worse as Israel re-launched its Gaza offensive after ceasefire talks failed.
Opposition leader Avigdor Liberman has criticized the move, calling PM Benjamin Netanyahu a "threat to Israel's security."
The conflict has left over 500 Palestinians dead since Tuesday and has intensified calls for retaliatory strikes against Hamas if the remaining hostages aren't freed.
Military response
Israeli military chief's warning
Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir warned that the military would respond severely to the intercepted rockets from Lebanon.
He reiterated that Lebanon is responsible for upholding the agreement.
This echoes Katz's statement, "We will not allow rocket fire from Lebanon on the Galilee communities."
He added, "We promised security to the communities of Galilee—and that is exactly how it will be. The rule for Metula is the rule for Beirut."