Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that Israel had “settled the score” with the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in an air strike in Beirut.
“We settled the score with the one responsible for the murder of countless Israelis and many citizens of other countries, including hundreds of Americans and dozens of French,” he said in his first statement since Nasrallah’s death on Friday.
He was alluding to 1983 bombings in Beirut that killed 63 people at the US embassy and 241 US marines and 58 French paratroopers at their barracks.
Netanyahu said that as long as “terrorist” Nasrallah was alive, he “would quickly restore the capabilities we had eroded from Hezbollah” in a series of recent operations.
“So, I gave the order and Nasrallah is no longer with us.”
The Israeli premier said his country was on the cusp of “what appears to be a historic turning point” in the fight against its “enemies”.
According to Netanyahu, who has faced growing criticism at home and abroad over his war policy after nearly a year of fighting in the Gaza Strip, the killing of the Hezbollah leader was essential for achieving Israel’s goals.
“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 said.
It will also help facilitate the return of hostages seized by Hamas during its October 7 attack and still held in Gaza, he said.
“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 said.
“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.”
