Netanyahu threatens further retaliatory strikes if Israel is attacked
Amid an operation in southern Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the country’s enemies would suffer “even harsher blows” if they attack Israel again. The statement came after Israeli forces blew up a tunnel network which, Israel claims, Hezbollah had constructed beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge.
As Asharq Al-Awsat reports, Netanyahu called the destruction of Hezbollah positions in the area of Beaufort Castle and the Ali al-Taher ridge a “major victory.” He also said that Israel would continue destroying infrastructure it considers terrorist.
Statement by Israel’s prime minister
According to a video released by the Israeli prime minister’s office, Netanyahu addressed Israel’s enemies, saying that if there is another attack, they will suffer even harsher blows. He added that the work has not yet been completed.
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On Thursday, Israel blew up what it described as a large network of tunnels beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge. According to the Israeli side, it contained a Hezbollah command center, living quarters and weapons stockpiles intended for strikes on northern Israel and Israeli troops. The United States Geological Survey recorded a tremor equivalent to a magnitude 4.1 earthquake.
Situation in southern Lebanon
The explosion occurred about a week after the Israeli military said it had captured strategic heights in the area. Israeli forces continue to remain in southern Lebanon in an area Israel calls a “security zone.”
Israel said the tunnel network had been built over two decades with assistance from Iran, which supports Hezbollah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. At the end of June, Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement mediated by the United States. It provides for Hezbollah’s disarmament, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese army there, starting with test areas.
