JERUSALEM 

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called for imposing UN sanctions on Lebanese group Hezbollah for allegedly digging tunnels along Israel’s border with Lebanon.  

“I call upon the UN Security Council to stand up for truth and peace and security and take necessary action," Netanyahu told a press conference ahead of a UN Security Council session on the issue.  

Israel “has the right to defend itself and will continue to take all the necessary action to protect its people and defend its borders,” he said.  

There was no comment from either Hezbollah or the Lebanese government on Netanyahu's statements.

Earlier this month, the Israeli military launched an operation to “expose and thwart” cross-border tunnels allegedly dug by Hezbollah along the border with Lebanon.  

The army says it had found four tunnels leading into Israeli territory from southern Lebanon since the operation began.  

Last week, Israeli daily Haaretz said Washington has rejected an Israeli request to impose sanctions on Lebanon over the alleged Hezbollah tunnels.  

The newspaper said though U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected the Israeli request, he agreed to draw up sanctions on Hezbollah.  

In 2006, Israel launched a war against Hezbollah during which at least 1,200 people, mostly Lebanese civilians, were killed