Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a new warning to Iran, stating that there is no area in the Middle East that is beyond Israel’s reach, especially amid ongoing strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In a video statement delivered in English, Netanyahu reached out to the people of Iran, cautioning that their government is leading them “closer to the abyss.”
“There is no location in the Middle East that Israel cannot access,” the prime minister emphasized, cautioning the Iranian people that their “regime is driving our region deeper into darkness and into conflict.”
“Do not allow a small group of theocrats to crush your hopes and dreams,” Mr. Netanyahu advised.
In his video message, Netanyahu expressed optimism for a time “when Iran is finally liberated,” predicting that it would “arrive much sooner than anticipated.”
“Everything will be transformed,” he declared. “Our two nations, Israel and Iran, will coexist peacefully. Iran will prosper like never before.”
The Iranian populace should be aware – Israel stands with you. pic.twitter.com/MfwfNqnTgE
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 30, 2024
Hezbollah has vowed to continue its fight against Israel in support of Gaza following the death of its leader in a significant wave of air strikes on Lebanon that severely impacted the group.
In a televised address, Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem stated that a successor to Hassan Nasrallah, who held a revered status among his supporters, would be appointed “at the earliest opportunity.”
He added that the group was prepared for any Israeli ground assault, despite the fact that Israeli bombardments have recently eliminated numerous high-ranking commanders and officials.
Low-intensity cross-border strikes by Hezbollah targeting Israeli forces commenced a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, sparking the conflict in Gaza.
Smoke rises following an Israeli strike on a village close to the southern Lebanese city of Tyre.
Earlier this month, Israel declared it was shifting its attention from Gaza to reinforcing its northern border with Lebanon, to facilitate the return of Israelis displaced since October to their homes.
It has not dismissed the possibility of a ground offensive to accomplish its objectives.
The assaults on Lebanon have resulted in hundreds of fatalities and forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes, leaving people across the region apprehensive about further violence.
Mr. Qassem affirmed that Hezbollah would persist in “confronting the Israeli enemy in support of Gaza and Palestine, defending Lebanon and its citizens, and retaliating against the assassinations and the killing of civilians.”
“We are prepared for any scenario, and we are ready if Israel opts for a land invasion; resistance forces are equipped for any ground confrontation,” he remarked.
Majority of Israel’s strikes have targeted Hezbollah strongholds in eastern and southern Lebanon, as well as the southern suburbs of Beirut, the group’s primary base.
Television footage displayed the partially collapsed floor of the building struck in Kola.
A drone strike early this morning hit a structure in the Kola district of central Beirut, with an armed Palestinian group claiming it resulted in the deaths of three of its members.
This strike, the first in downtown Beirut in years, incited panic among residents, with 41-year-old Mohammed al-Hoss reporting that “the kids were in shock” after his home sustained damage.
“We stand with Gaza and support the Palestinian cause, but our nation cannot endure a war,” he lamented.
“Our country is in dire straits. They (Israel) finished with Gaza and have now come to Lebanon.”
Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed the strike resulted in four fatalities and four injuries. Israel has yet to respond.
Live updates: Hezbollah ‘prepared’ for any Israeli land invasion in Lebanon.
Palestinian Islamist group Hamas later announced that its leader in Lebanon, Fatah Sharif Abu al-Amine, along with his wife and two children, had been killed in another strike on Al-Bass refugee camp in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military confirmed they had “eliminated” Sharif in a strike.
Israeli strikes across Lebanon resulted in the deaths of 105 individuals yesterday, as reported by the Lebanese health ministry.
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Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad announced Saturday that a total of 1,030 people, including 87 children, have lost their lives since September 16.
UN refugee agency chief Filippo Grandi remarked that “well over 200,000 individuals are displaced within Lebanon,” while over 100,000 have fled to neighboring Syria.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati estimated that up to one million people may have been displaced, suggesting it could potentially be the “largest displacement movement” in Lebanon’s history.
The escalating violence in Lebanon has sparked concerns of a broader conflict in the region.
The Israeli army indicated that it “successfully intercepted a suspicious aerial target that crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory.”
Additionally, Israel reported conducting strikes in Yemen yesterday, targeting positions held by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Houthi media reports stated that these strikes resulted in four fatalities and left 33 individuals injured.
The raids in Yemen occurred a day after the Houthis claimed to have launched a missile at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, attempting to hit it as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned from New York.
The Israeli military asserts that its operations in Lebanon are aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s leadership and its ability to launch attacks on Israel.
The scene of the strike in Kola that took place in the early hours of the morning.
Hezbollah has confirmed that Israel has also killed Nabil Qaouq, a member of the group’s central council, during a strike in Beirut on Saturday.
Lebanon began a three-day national mourning period for Nasrallah, with flags being flown at half-mast.
Iran has warned that Nasrallah’s death would lead to Israel’s “destruction,” although the foreign ministry stated on Monday that it will not deploy any fighters to confront Israel.
Read more about the conflict in the Middle East.
World leaders have called for de-escalation.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot met with the Lebanese premier in Beirut, stating that his government is seeking “an immediate cessation” of the strikes.
He is the first high-ranking foreign diplomat to visit since the escalation of Israeli strikes.
US President Joe Biden, whose administration is the primary arms supplier to Israel, indicated that a larger war “must really be avoided.”
In Gaza, AFP journalists reported a significant reduction in the number of air strikes across the territory in recent days, particularly following Nasrallah’s death.
The unprecedented attack launched by Hamas on October 7 resulted in 1,205 casualties, mostly civilians, as per an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.
Of the 251 hostages taken by militants, 97 remain held in Gaza, including 33 that the Israeli military claims are deceased.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has claimed at least 41,615 lives in Gaza, predominantly among civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN has indicated that these figures are credible.
