Netanyahu Warns of Strikes on Beirut as Israel Intensifies Operations Against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon.
Jerusalem:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a strong warning to Hezbollah, declaring that Israel will expand its military operations to include targets in Beirut if attacks on Israeli cities and civilians continue.
In a statement released following a conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump, Netanyahu said he had made Israel’s position clear regarding ongoing hostilities along the northern border.
“I spoke this evening with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not stop firing at our cities and citizens, Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut,” Netanyahu said, emphasizing that Israel’s policy remains unchanged. He added that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would continue carrying out planned military operations in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli Prime Minister later announced that, together with the Defence Minister, he had instructed the military to target what Israel describes as Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure in Beirut. He asserted that Israel would not allow a situation where Hezbollah continues attacks on Israeli communities while maintaining operational headquarters in the Lebanese capital’s Dahiyeh district.
“There will not be a situation in which Hezbollah attacks our cities and our citizens, and its terrorist headquarters in Beirut, in Dahiyeh, remains out of bounds,” Netanyahu stated.
He further said that Israeli forces were intensifying ground operations in southern Lebanon and targeting Hezbollah positions across the region. According to Netanyahu, the military campaign is aimed at dismantling Hezbollah strongholds and reducing the group’s operational capabilities near Israel’s northern frontier.
“We are continuing to deepen our operational activity on the ground in southern Lebanon and are eliminating Hezbollah strongholds. Hezbollah is on the run,” he said.
Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s primary objective remains restoring security for residents living near the country’s northern border, many of whom have faced months of cross-border attacks and security threats.
“We are determined to restore security to the residents of the north, just as we did for the residents of the south,” he added.
The latest remarks signal a potential escalation in tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, raising concerns about a broader regional conflict. International observers continue to monitor developments closely amid ongoing military activity along the Israel-Lebanon border and growing fears of further instability in the region.
