Hours after Israel launched intense airstrikes in Lebanon aimed at Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared a video message for the Lebanese people.
“I have a message for the people of Lebanon. Israel’s war is not with you. It’s with Hezbollah. For too long, Hezbollah has been using you as human shields. It placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garage. Those rockets and missiles are aimed directly at our cities, directly at our citizens. To defend our people against Hezbollah strikes, we must take out these weapons,” said Netanyahu.
Message for the people of Lebanon: pic.twitter.com/gNVNLUlvjm
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 23, 2024
According to Lebanon’s Hezbollah-led Health Ministry, the strike has killed around 490 people and injured over 1,500. According to Lebanese officials, the recent wave of attacks marks the deadliest since the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
The prime minister added, “Starting this morning, the IDF has warned you to get out of harm’s way. I urge you – take this warning seriously. Don’t let Hezbollah endanger your lives and the lives of your loved ones. Don’t let Hezbollah endanger Lebanon. Please, get out of harm’s way now. Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.”
Before Netanyahu’s warning to the people of Lebanon, the Israeli military spokesperson R Adm Daniel Hagari, in a televised statement, said, “To all the residents of the villages in Lebanon, in the near future, we will strike terror targets in Lebanon. We call on everyone who is near properties or inside homes where Hezbollah is hiding weapons. We call on you to distance yourselves from them immediately. This is for your safety and protection.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in a statement, confirmed the launch of a large-scale operation, striking about 1,300 targets, including long-range cruise missiles, heavy-weight rockets, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), during their operations on Monday.
