Prime Minister Yair Lapid said Tuesday that Israel would "restrain" Hezbollah if the Lebanese government fails to do so.
"The Lebanese government has to restrain Hezbollah attacks before we'll have to do it ourselves," he said before embarking on a state visit to France from Ben Gurion Airport.
"Multiple attacks were carried out against Israeli gas rigs. Israel will not accept this kind of aggression against its sovereignty and whoever does it must know that they are taking a risk."
During Lapid's visit to France, his first abroad since becoming caretaker premier last week, he is expected to press French President Emmanuel Macron that the Tehran-backed Hezbollah group is "playing with fire."
As Lebanon's former colonial administrator, France has additional clout in Beirut - whose economic crisis-hit leaders were jarred on Saturday when Israel shot down three Hezbollah drones launched toward one of its Mediterranean gas rigs.
Lapid also noted that he would press Macron for a tougher and time-limited tack on the Iranian nuclear negotiations.
4 View gallery
French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Yair Lapid
(Photo: Quentin Crestinu)
"It is important that our opinion is heard at this time against this dangerous agreement, against Iran's entrenchment and nuclearization on the issue," he said.
"Once again, the international community will know that on the Iranian nuclear issue, Israeli society stands together, as one body, with one position, presenting a united front to the international community."
France is among world powers trying to revive a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that the previous U.S. administration quit and which Israel opposed, deeming its caps insufficient.
"The French are very, very active on the Iranian issue," a senior Israeli official told reporters.
4 View gallery
World powers meet with Iranian officials in Vienna to discuss a return to the 2015 nuclear deal
(Photo: Reuters)
"It is important for us to make our case ... Israel opposes a return to the JCPOA (2015 nuclear deal). In the same breath, we do not oppose a deal. We seek a very strong deal."
Israel is not a party to the nuclear negotiations. But Western capitals have been attentive to its worries about its arch-enemy and worried it might take preemptive military action if it deems diplomacy a dead end.
Since the U.S. walkout, Iran has itself been in breach of the deal, ramping up projects with bomb-making potential - though it denies having such designs. Its technical advancements have set a ticking clock on the so-far fruitless negotiations.
"We want an end to the unending talks," said the senior Israeli official, calling for "coordinated pressure" on Iran and offering help on "drafting an appropriate framework" for that.
4 View gallery
An Israeli Navy corvette next to the Karish gas field
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Israel has de facto front with Iran in Lebanon, home to Hezbollah. The senior Israeli official, alluding to Saturday's shoot-downs, accused the group of "playing with fire".
The official declined to elaborate on that warning, but said Lapid would share with Macron "new material explaining how Hezbollah is endangering Lebanon".
Hezbollah and Israel fought a war across Lebanon's border in 2006 but have been in a largely stable standoff since.
The Karish rig near Lebanon's coast will produce gas not only for Israel, but eventually also for the European Union, the official said, tapping into EU countries' quest to replace Russia as an energy supplier since it invaded Ukraine.