GEOFF BENNETT: The Israeli military said it intercepted rocket fire that crossed into Northern Israel from Lebanon today.

Hezbollah said the attack was in retaliation for Israel violating the 10-day cease-fire that took effect last week, an extension to which President Trump announced earlier.

Now, earlier this week, we brought you an exclusive interview with the senior Hezbollah leader, who rejected Israel's demand to disarm.

Tonight, we're joined by Israel's Ambassador to the U.N.

Danny Danon.

Mr.

Ambassador, welcome to the program.

DANNY DANON, Israeli Ambassador to the United States: Thank you for having me, Geoff.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, President Trump, as you know, a short time ago announced a three-week extension of the cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon, specifically Hezbollah.

As we sit here and speak, details are few.

What more can you tell us?

DANNY DANON: First, we welcome the direct talks between Israel and Lebanon.

We have the same goal.

We all want to get rid of Hezbollah.

We want to see sovereign Lebanon controlling the territory of Lebanon.

And, as we speak, we see that Hezbollah is trying to create chaos, attack Israeli communities in the northern part of Israel, and again try to ignite another cycle of violence.

We will continue the talks with the Lebanese.

We are grateful for the U.S.

for their involvement, but we have to acknowledge that Hezbollah should not be a part of this equation.

They shouldn't be in Southern Lebanon.

They shouldn't be part of the Lebanese government.

They are the one who's sowing chaos in the region.

GEOFF BENNETT: When the president says the U.S.

will help Lebanon protect itself from Hezbollah, what does that look like in practice beyond what's already being done?

DANNY DANON: Well, we all acknowledge the weakness of the Lebanese government.

We welcome the statements coming from Beirut about kicking out the ambassador of Iran, but he's still there, about gaining control over Southern Lebanon, but it is not the case.

Hezbollah is still there.

So there's a huge gap, Geoff, between the declarations and the abilities or the actions of the Lebanese government.

And I think the U.S.

and other country that want to help Lebanon should help them actually have control over the situation, that they can actually mobilize the military and be effective.

If they are not controlling the military, they will not be able to change much.

GEOFF BENNETT: A question about Israel's military action.

I want to play video from April 8, when Israeli forces struck more than 150 locations simultaneously across Lebanon, killing more than 300 people, wounding more than 1,000 others.

When Israel targets Hezbollah in dense urban areas, as was the case here, how does it determine what level of civilian casualties is considered acceptable?

DANNY DANON: So, first, we try to minimize civilian casualties, period, unlike Hezbollah, who did exactly the opposite.

They target communities.

We actually gave notice to many communities to evacuate Southern Lebanon, and many people left Southern Lebanon.

And we are -- we welcome that, because it allows us to attack Hezbollah without risking civilians, and we will continue to do our best to minimize civilian casualties.

But we have also to admit, Geoff, that Hezbollah is hiding behind civilians.

They are hiding behind U.N.

facilities.

They're launching rockets from those places, and we have the right to defend ourselves.

So we will continue to do that.

We will continue to fight terrorist organizations.

We saw it also in Gaza in the past with Hamas.

They're trying to use civilians as human shields, but we will do our best to minimize civilian casualties.

GEOFF BENNETT: And, to your point, we know that Hezbollah does indeed embed itself in civilian areas.

So, how many civilian deaths per Hezbollah target is acceptable?

Is it five?

Is it 10?

Is it 300?

Or is there no ceiling at all?

DANNY DANON: Well, without going into the numbers, but I will tell you that, before each attack, we have a legal team that actually looks at the intelligence we have and then reach the decision regarding the attack.

So we don't just attack.

There's a process in the IDF.

And I think we are the most moral military in the world, if you compare our actions to other militaries that engage in the past with terrorist organizations.

It's not easy for us.

And as I said earlier, we want to have peace with the Lebanese people.

We pray for that day.

When I was a child, we used to call the fence between Israel and Lebanon, we call it the good fence because they were good neighbors.

But, unfortunately, a lot changed since that day.

And, today, we have to deal with Hezbollah that is trying to hijack Lebanon.

GEOFF BENNETT: The Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed yesterday in an Israeli strike.

Lebanon's prime minister responded by saying that Israel's targeting of journalists -- and this is a quote -- "is no longer isolated incidents, but has become an established approach."

The Committee to Protect Journalists has documented a pattern of journalists killed by Israeli strikes.

What military objective is served by killing reporters?

DANNY DANON: Well, I beg to differ about your question.

It's biased.

With all due respect, we are not targeting reporters, period.

Unfortunately, if you have reporters who are next to Hezbollah terrorists or Hezbollah bunkers or Hezbollah launchers, those incidents happen, and we regret that.

But to accuse Israel that we target reporters, that's a blood libel.

You know, what are we actually implying, that we gather intelligence... GEOFF BENNETT: Excuse me.

Excuse me.

I... DANNY DANON: ... that you gather intelligence... GEOFF BENNETT: I take issue.

I take issue.

I take issue with that, sir.

DANNY DANON: ... and we actually want to kill reporters, and not to kill terrorists of Hezbollah?

GEOFF BENNETT: You say that Israel does not target journalists.

Amal Khalil is dead.

CPJ has documented a growing pattern of targeted Israeli attacks in Lebanon, where 15 journalists and media workers have been killed by Israel since the October 7 attacks.

Your government continues to state that Israel does not target journalists.

But my question is simple.

At what number of dead journalists does that answer become one that the international community can no longer accept?

DANNY DANON: Geoff, it's outrageous.

When you say we target journalists, you imply that we have the intention to kill journalists, and that's a lie.

You should ask the other questions.

Where were those journalists during the time of the attack?

Where they were spending their time?

Maybe they were next to Hezbollah terrorists, and that's why they were in line of fire, unfortunately.

GEOFF BENNETT: Do you know that to be true?

Do you know that to be true?

(CROSSTALK) DANNY DANON: I will tell you one thing.

GEOFF BENNETT: Do you know that to be true, sir?

DANNY DANON: We will focus our efforts... GEOFF BENNETT: I take that as a no.

DANNY DANON: ... our abilities, our intelligence, targeting Hezbollah terrorists, period.

We are not doing it against civilians and for sure not against reporters.

GEOFF BENNETT: Danny Danon, thank you for your time this evening.

We appreciate it.

DANNY DANON: Thank you, Geoff.