Netanyahu warns Hezbollah: It will pay if ignorant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning on Sunday, stating that Israel had hit Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon in ways it could not have imagined. “If Hezbollah has not understood the message, I promise you, it will understand the message,” Reuters quoted Netanyahu.

This statement followed Israel’s intense attacks on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, with Israeli warplanes conducting the most significant bombardments in nearly a year of ongoing conflict. In retaliation, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for rocket strikes on Israeli military targets in the north.

The Israeli military reported that it had struck around 290 targets on Saturday, including thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers. The military emphasized that it would continue its operations to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure.

Earlier, on Friday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 37 people in a Beirut suburb, including several Hezbollah commanders. Among the dead were 16 Hezbollah members, including senior leaders Ibrahim Aqil and Ahmed Wahbi, marking the deadliest strike in the year-long conflict.

Tensions between the two sides escalated earlier in the week when devices used by Hezbollah members, such as pagers and walkie-talkies, exploded. Hezbollah blamed Israel for these explosions. The death toll from these incidents has risen to 39, with over 3,000 injured. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for these attacks.

Netanyahu’s warning sends a clear message to Hezbollah, as tensions continue to rise. The conflict shows no sign of de-escalating, with both sides continuing to trade blows, intensifying the hostilities in the region. The coming days may witness further escalation as Israel remains determined to weaken Hezbollah’s operational capacity.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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