Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Lebanon on Tuesday, claiming the country could face the same fate as Gaza if it continues to allow Hezbollah to operate within its borders. His statement came as the Israeli military stepped up its offensive against Hezbollah on Lebanon’s southern coast, deploying additional troops and advising civilians to evacuate the area.
In a direct video address to the Lebanese people, Netanyahu urged them to free their country from Hezbollah’s grip to avoid further destruction. He said, “You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war, which will lead to destruction and suffering as we see in Gaza.” The warning was clear: unless Hezbollah is dealt with, Lebanon risks suffering the same fate as Gaza, which has seen widespread destruction due to the ongoing conflict.
“People of Lebanon, I say to you: Liberate your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end,” Netanyahu said.
A year ago it was a new year so it’s still a good idea. pic.twitter.com/sLcxXvSh7X
-Benjamin Netanyahu 8 October 2024
Hezbollah counterattacked
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated after the group claimed responsibility for firing rockets at the Israeli port city of Haifa. The attack came after the Israeli military reported that 85 projectiles had crossed the border from Lebanon and entered Israel. Hezbollah, which has shown no signs of conceding defeat, has threatened to continue shelling Israeli cities and towns if Israeli attacks on Lebanese population centers continue.
The conflict has continued since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a devastating attack on Israel, killing more than a thousand civilians. Since then, Hezbollah, a key ally of Hamas, has engaged in sporadic firing with Israeli forces. Meanwhile, Israel has vowed to secure its northern border and protect its citizens from Hezbollah’s rocket attacks.
Hezbollah’s leadership in crisis
Hezbollah’s leadership has suffered major setbacks in recent weeks. In late September Israel killed its leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on Beirut. Nasrallah had led Hezbollah since 1992 and was considered one of the most powerful figures in Lebanon. His death was a blow to the group, but the Israeli attacks did not stop there. In October, Israel launched another bombing campaign in Beirut, targeting Hashem Saffiedine, a senior Hezbollah leader who is widely considered Nasrallah’s successor.
While Hezbollah has not confirmed Saffieddin’s death, Netanyahu suggested in his video address that both Nasrallah and Saffieddin were killed.
Netanyahu said in his address that Israel “has decimated Hezbollah’s capabilities; we killed thousands of terrorists, including (longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan) Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah’s replacements and their replacements.”
“We attacked Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Beirut…This is the headquarters of the head of the intelligence division, Abu Abdullah Mortada,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said. “We know that Hashem Saffieddin was there with him. The consequences of this attack are still being looked into, Hezbollah is trying to hide the details. When we know, we will inform the public.”
Israel’s strategy
Having already targeted strongholds in southern and eastern Lebanon, Israel’s latest moves signal a shift toward coastal areas, and civilians are being urged to evacuate there. On its Telegram channel, the Israeli military confirmed that the 146th Division had begun “localized, targeted operational activities” in southwestern Lebanon, directly aimed at targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) did not spare Beirut either, launching attacks targeting Hezbollah strongholds in the city’s southern suburbs. This area is a major base of operations for Hezbollah. Israel has since destroyed Hezbollah tunnels leading into Israeli territory.
Hezbollah remains defiant
Despite these losses, Hezbollah remains defiant. Its deputy leader Naeem Qasim declared that the group’s military capabilities were intact and they were prepared for a long conflict. Qassim’s statement came as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant described Hezbollah as a “broken organization” whose leadership had fallen apart following Nasrallah’s ouster.
Gallant spoke about the impact of Israel’s strikes and claimed that Hezbollah’s command structure was in disarray and that the group lacked leadership following the deaths of Nasrallah and other key figures. He also said that due to Israel’s concentrated military campaign, Hezbollah’s firepower has been reduced to a great extent. However, Hezbollah maintains a presence along the Lebanese border.
shadow of iran
This conflict is not limited to Israel and Hezbollah. The group is believed to be backed by Iran, which provides it with weapons, funding and political support. Israeli forces have clashed with Iran-backed militias across the region, including Syria and Yemen. This week, an Israeli airstrike in Damascus targeted a building used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah, killing seven civilians, according to Syrian government reports.
Israel has also accused Hezbollah of using civilian areas as shields for its military operations, a tactic that has drawn widespread condemnation. Hezbollah, in turn, has pointed to the overwhelming number of civilians in Gaza as evidence of Israel’s indiscriminate use of force. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is severe, with almost all of its 2.4 million residents displaced at least once due to Israeli bombardment.
Tehran has long been a major supporter of Hezbollah. However, in recent weeks there have been reports that Iran is seeking a ceasefire in Lebanon, possibly as a result of Hezbollah’s increasing losses.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi visited Beirut on Friday and expressed support for the ceasefire, but stressed that any agreement would have to support Hezbollah.
