Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Israeli Defense Forces have warned the Lebanese people to evacuate dangerous areas, urging them to take the warning seriously.
Hours after Israeli strikes claimed nearly 500 lives in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Lebanese people, urging them not to become “human shields” for Hezbollah.
Here are the top 10 points from this major development:
1. Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s war is not against the Lebanese people but against Hezbollah, which has been storing missiles in civilian homes. He vowed to eliminate these weapons to ensure Israel’s safety.
2. “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 used you as human shields. They’ve placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garages. These weapons are aimed directly at our cities and citizens. To defend ourselves, we must neutralize them,” Netanyahu said in a video message shared online.
3. Netanyahu stressed that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have warned the Lebanese people to evacuate dangerous areas and urged them to take these warnings seriously.
4. He implored the Lebanese not to risk their lives for Hezbollah’s cause, urging them to prioritize their safety.
5. “Don’t let Hezbollah put your lives, and the lives of your loved ones, in danger. Don’t let them endanger Lebanon. Please, leave the area now. Once our operation is complete, you will be able to return safely to your homes,” Netanyahu said.
6. The latest strikes mark a shift in violence from Israel’s southern border with Gaza to its northern border with Lebanon. Hezbollah, which controls much of Lebanon, has been exchanging fire with Israel in support of Hamas since the conflict began.
7. Dubbed “Operation Northern Arrows” by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Israeli strikes targeted southern and eastern Lebanon, with a “targeted strike” also hitting Beirut.
8. According to Lebanon’s Hezbollah-led health ministry, the death toll had reached 492 by Monday night, including 35 children and 58 women. Health Minister Firass Abiad reported that at least 1,645 were wounded, and thousands of families were displaced.
9. Yesterday’s strikes, which resulted in the deadliest day of cross-border violence since the Gaza war last year, have drawn condemnation from Arab states and other global powers. Calls for Israel and Hezbollah to pull back from the brink of full-scale war have been made, but both sides remain defiant, unwilling to concede any ground.
10. Hezbollah declared it had entered a “new phase” of confrontation, firing rockets at Israeli military targets in retaliation for earlier Israeli strikes. One of Hezbollah’s elite commanders was killed during an Israeli attack on southern Beirut on Friday.
The cross-border violence comes after a series of deadly explosions involving pagers and walkie-talkies across Lebanon, which Hezbollah has blamed on Israel. Last week’s blasts claimed at least 39 lives and injured nearly 3,000 people.
