Netanyahu Urges Lebanon to Oust Hezbollah, Warns of 'Destruction Like Gaza' Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stark warning to the people of Lebanon, urging them to rise up against Hezbollah to prevent Lebanon from facing destruction similar to that seen in Gaza.
In a televised address on Tuesday, Netanyahu called on the Lebanese to free their nation from Hezbollah’s grip. His appeal came as Israel intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon, deploying thousands more troops to a new zone in the southwest.
“You have the chance to save Lebanon from a prolonged war that will bring ruin and suffering like what we are witnessing in Gaza,” Netanyahu declared, directly addressing the people of Lebanon.
Netanyahu also claimed that Israeli forces had killed Hashem Safieddine, the man expected to replace Hezbollah’s current leader, Hassan Nasrallah. However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later clarified that they could not confirm Safieddine’s death.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah fighters have launched their third consecutive day of rocket strikes against the Israeli city of Haifa, leaving 12 injured. The conflict shows no sign of easing, as Hezbollah continues to retaliate against Israeli actions in Gaza by attacking northern Israel.
Hezbollah’s resilience has been tested by Israel’s relentless strikes over the past few weeks. Lebanese officials report that the conflict has claimed over 1,400 lives in Lebanon and displaced around 1.2 million people. Yet, Hezbollah’s leadership remains defiant, with Naim Qassem, the group’s deputy leader, insisting that their capabilities are intact despite the heavy losses.
Israel’s ground offensive aims to neutralize Hezbollah’s threat along the northern border. Almost a year of cross-border skirmishes, initiated by Hezbollah’s rocket fire on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Palestinians, has escalated into a full-scale conflict. Hezbollah’s actions came in the wake of a deadly Hamas attack on southern Israel.
The IDF reported that its forces, including reservists, have begun targeted operations in southwestern Lebanon, joining three other divisions already active in the region. Israeli troops have captured a Hezbollah “combat compound” in Maroun al-Ras, a village near the Israeli border. Drone footage showed extensive destruction in nearby Yaroun, another Hezbollah stronghold.
The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is worsening, with the United Nations warning that the situation is “catastrophic.” Nearly 180,000 people are living in displacement centers, and more than 400,000 others have fled into Syria. The World Food Programme has raised concerns about Lebanon’s ability to sustain itself, as large swaths of farmland have been abandoned or destroyed.
In response, Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah positions in Beirut’s southern suburbs, as well as other regions in Lebanon. On Monday, an airstrike in the Lebanese capital reportedly killed Suhail Husseini, a Hezbollah commander, but the group has yet to confirm his death.
Amid the escalating violence, Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem reaffirmed that the group remains operational, declaring that “no vacant positions” exist in their command structure. However, for the first time, he did not link the group’s actions to the ongoing war in Gaza, suggesting that Hezbollah might be considering other political or diplomatic options.
Qassem expressed support for ceasefire efforts led by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, hinting that diplomacy might play a role in ending the conflict. Despite this, Hezbollah has continued its rocket attacks on northern Israel, including a direct strike on Haifa on Sunday, the first such attack since the 2006 war.
Israel’s military efforts, along with Netanyahu’s call for Lebanon to break free from Hezbollah, highlight the growing tensions and the potential for further escalation in the region.
