Lebanon denounced what it called Israel’s plans for “a new occupation of Lebanese territory” on Tuesday, after Israel said it would establish a “security zone” in the country. Defence Minister Major General Michel Menassa said the remarks by his counterpart Israel Katz were “no longer mere threats”, but reflected “a clear intention to impose a new occupation of Lebanese territory, forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens, and systematically destroy villages and towns in the south”. Katz also said Israel would have “security control” up to the Litani river, an idea which Menassa denounced as “a deepening of the aggression against Lebanese land and national sovereignty”. Tehran-backed Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the war by launching attacks on Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with broad strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney denounced Israel’s deployment of troops against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as an “illegal invasion” that violates its “integrity and sovereignty”. Fresh Israeli strikes hit the country’s south and near Beirut on Tuesday, the state-run National News …