Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday that he personally approved the operation that led to the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Nasrallah, 64, was killed during Israeli airstrikes that targeted multiple Hezbollah sites across eastern and southern Lebanon, following a barrage of rockets fired by the group into northern Israel. Israeli forces conducted extensive bombings in Hezbollah-controlled areas of southern Beirut overnight, destroying several residential buildings.
Netanyahu described Nasrallah’s death as a significant victory for Israel’s military strategy and a crucial step toward enhancing security along the nation’s northern borders. In a statement to the public following the operation, Netanyahu emphasized that Nasrallah had played a key role in orchestrating numerous attacks against Israelis and foreign nationals, dating back to the 1980s. He highlighted some of the most notorious incidents, including the 1983 bombings in Beirut that resulted in the deaths of 63 people at the US embassy, as well as numerous casualties among US Marines and French paratroopers.
According to Netanyahu, eliminating Nasrallah was essential for diminishing Hezbollah’s operational capabilities. “As long as Nasrallah was alive, he would quickly restore the capabilities we had eroded from Hezbollah,” he stated. He reiterated that the operation served as retribution for the “murder of countless Israelis” and citizens from other nations, including hundreds of Americans and dozens of French nationals.
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The Prime Minister suggested that Nasrallah’s removal would not only facilitate the return of northern Israeli residents who had evacuated due to cross-border violence but would also weaken Hamas, Hezbollah’s ally in Gaza. He expressed optimism that the changes would enhance the prospects for securing the release of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attacks.
Netanyahu praised Israel’s military and intelligence organizations, including the IDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet, for their role in the successful operation. “We are winning,” he declared.
He also issued a warning to Iran, asserting that Israel’s reach extends throughout the region and that the assassination of Nasrallah should send a strong message to Tehran and its allies. “There is nowhere in Iran or the Middle East beyond the reach of the long arm of Israel,” he warned. He concluded his address by declaring this moment a “historic turning point,” reaffirming his commitment to the safe return of displaced residents and hostages while calling for national unity. “We will fight together, and with God’s help, we will win together,” he affirmed.
