As Israel faces fierce criticism over its attacks on Lebanon, Benjamin Netanyahu is showing no remorse. In a new post accompanied by footage of the previous day’s strikes in Lebanon, the Israeli Prime Minister made clear that the strikes against Hezbollah will continue.
“We continue to strike Hezbollah with strength, precision, and determination. In Beirut, we eliminated Ali Yousef Harshi, the personal secretary of Hezbollah terrorist organization Secretary-General Naim Qassem and one of his closest associates.
At the same time, last night the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) struck a series of terrorist infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon: crossing points used to transfer thousands of weapons, rockets, and launchers, as well as ammunition depots, launchers, and Hezbollah command centers.
Our message is clear: whoever acts against Israeli citizens will be struck. We will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary, until we fully restore the security of residents in the north.”
“We Will Continue to Respond,” says Hezbollah
Hezbollah announced on its part that it bombarded northern Israel overnight, in response to the “ceasefire violation.” The Iran-backed movement, which had not claimed responsibility for other attacks since the announcement of the Iran-US ceasefire late Tuesday night, added that “retaliation will continue until the Israeli-American assault against our country and our people stops.”
Over 200 Dead
According to the latest official, preliminary toll announced shortly before publication, the simultaneous Israeli strikes launched without warning the previous day, targeting central Beirut and numerous other areas of Lebanon, resulted in the deaths of 203 people and the wounding of over 1,000 others. Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nasreddin confirmed the figures, up from 182 deaths and 890 wounded recorded the day before.
Calls for a Ceasefire in Lebanon Are Growing
Diplomatic calls for extending the regional ceasefire to Lebanon are intensifying, as Israel and the US insist Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire agreement. The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that continued military activity in Lebanon seriously endangers the ceasefire. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed concern over the strikes, telling his US and Iranian counterparts that halting them is a “necessary precondition” for the ceasefire to be “credible and lasting.” The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed its “outrage at the deaths and destruction” caused by the Israeli strikes.
