JERUSALEM/BEIRUT - Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that his country has defeated Hezbollah and that eliminating its leader Hassan Nasrallah was the crowning achievement.

"Now it is our job to continue to put pressure in order to bring about the fruits of that victory," Katz said during a ceremony at Israel's foreign ministry.

READ MORE: Israeli PM claims responsibility for deadly pager attack on Hezbollah

Katz said Israel is not interested in meddling in internal Lebanese politics as Israel has "learned our lessons", but that he hoped an international coalition would capitalize on this opportunity politically and that Lebanon would join other countries in normalizing relations with Israel.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's health ministry on Sunday said at least 23 people, including seven children, were killed and six others injured in an Israeli strike on Almat in the country's Mount Lebanon province. The ministry added that the death toll was likely to climb.

READ MORE: At least '26 killed, 19 injured in Israeli airstrikes in eastern, southern Lebanon'

Three people were also killed and two others wounded in an Israeli strike on Mashghara in the western part of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley late on Saturday, while one person was killed and four others injured in a strike on Sahmar, also in western Bekaa, that occurred the same night, the health ministry added.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which says it is targeting Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.