JERUSALEM: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanon鈥檚 Hezbollah to exercise caution on Friday, saying Israel鈥檚 patience with 鈥渢errorists鈥� who threaten it had worn thin.

The head of Iran-backed Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, said on Thursday that the Lebanese group would act as it saw fit in the face of what he called 鈥渂rutal Israeli-American aggression鈥� against Iran.

In other statements, the group has made no explicit pledge to join the fighting and a Hezbollah official told Reuters last week that the group did not intend to initiate attacks against Israel.