29-9-2024 (JERUSALEM) In a bold proclamation that has sent shockwaves through the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that Israel has “settled the score” with the elimination of Hezbollah’s chief, Hassan Nasrallah, in a precision air strike on Beirut.
Speaking for the first time since the operation, Netanyahu’s words carried the weight of decades of conflict and tension. “We have balanced the ledger with the individual responsible for the loss of countless Israeli lives and those of many other nationalities, including hundreds of Americans and dozens of French,” the Prime Minister stated, referencing the horrific 1983 Beirut bombings that claimed the lives of 63 people at the US embassy and 299 military personnel at their barracks.
Netanyahu’s decision to target Nasrallah was rooted in strategic calculations. “As long as this ‘terrorist’ drew breath, he would swiftly rebuild Hezbollah’s capabilities that we had methodically eroded through recent operations,” he explained. “Thus, I issued the directive – and Nasrallah is no longer among us.”
The Israeli leader framed this development as a potential watershed moment in the region’s geopolitics, suggesting that Israel stands at “what appears to be a historic turning point” in its struggle against adversarial forces.
Amidst growing domestic and international scrutiny of his war policies, particularly concerning the prolonged conflict in Gaza, Netanyahu defended the operation as crucial to achieving Israel’s objectives. “Nasrallah’s removal is a prerequisite for realising our goals: ensuring the safe return of northern residents to their homes and fundamentally altering the regional balance of power,” he asserted.
Netanyahu also drew a connection between this operation and the ongoing hostage crisis in Gaza, positing that the elimination of Nasrallah could influence Hamas’s calculations. “As (Hamas leader Yahya) Sinwar witnesses Hezbollah’s inability to come to his aid, the prospects of securing our captives’ release improve,” he reasoned.
The Prime Minister’s remarks exuded confidence in Israel’s military strategy. “We are prevailing. Our resolve to strike our enemies, repatriate our citizens, and rescue all our hostages remains unwavering. They are never far from our thoughts,” he declared.
