In a statement released on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel had “settled the score” with the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a Beirut airstrike.
Netanyahu emphasised that Nasrallah was responsible for the deaths of numerous Israelis and citizens from various countries, including “hundreds of Americans and dozens of French,” referring to the 1983 bombings in Beirut that claimed the lives of 63 people at the US embassy, 241 US marines, and 58 French paratroopers at their barracks.
The Prime Minister asserted that as long as Nasrallah remained alive, he would swiftly rebuild Hezbollah’s capabilities that Israel had diminished through recent operations, reported AFP. Consequently, Netanyahu gave the order to eliminate Nasrallah, saying, “So, I gave the order — and Nasrallah is no longer with us.”
According to Netanyahu, Israel is on the verge of a potentially historic turning point in its battle against its adversaries. Despite facing increasing domestic and international criticism over his war strategy after nearly a year of conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Prime Minister maintained that the elimination of the Hezbollah leader was crucial for achieving Israel’s objectives.
Netanyahu said, “Nasrallah’s elimination is a necessary condition for achieving the goals we set: the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes and the long-term alteration of the balance of power in the region.” He also suggested that Nasrallah’s death would facilitate the return of hostages captured by Hamas during its October 7 attack and still held in Gaza. “The more (Hamas leader Yahya) Sinwar sees that Hezbollah will no longer come to his aid, the greater the chances of returning our captives,” Netanyahu explained.
The Prime Minister concluded his statement by asserting, “We are winning. We are determined to continue striking our enemies, returning our residents to their homes and bringing back all our hostages. We do not forget them for a moment.”
The Israeli military had announced that it “eliminated” Hassan Nasrallah, the long-time leader of the Hezbollah militant group, in a precision airstrike in Beirut. In the statement, the IDF declared, “Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world.”