BEIRUT — Amid escalating Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Saturday Finance Minister Yassin Jaber released a statement calling on Israel to "give the Lebanese Army a chance" to deploy where it has been mandated, according the terms of the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, to become the only armed force south of the Litani River, replacing Hezbollah's long standing military presence there.

Jaber, who is backed by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, told local television channels al-Arabiya and al-Hadath that the entire area south of the Litani "has been demilitarized" and that the Lebanese Army is "deployed everywhere."

In the joint interview, Jaber expressed hope that the cease-fire monitoring committee chaired by the U.S. and made up of representatives from France, Lebanon, Israel and UNIFIL will pressure Israel to withdraw from the five points on the Lebanese side of the Blue Line that its troops continue to occupy.

Israel bombed southern Lebanon dozens of times on Saturday after it said it had intercepted three rockets launched from Lebanese territory. Hezbollah denied any involvement in the rocket attack and no group has taken responsibility. Jaber insisted that the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani is complete. "The demilitarization of the south of the Litani is a resolved matter," he said.

The finance minister also revealed that the Lebanese government had approved the decision to recruit 4,500 additional soldiers to strengthen the troops. With these heightened capabilities, "Israel must allow the Lebanese Army to deploy on the ground," he said.