Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed his nation on Saturday night, telling them that the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was a victory for Israel and a warning to Iran.
Netanyahu, speaking in Hebrew, said that Nasrallah was not just “a” terrorist, but “the” terrorist, responsible for the deaths not just of Israelis but also of many American and French citizens, among others.
He said that the successful airstrike on Friday evening was a warning to Iran — the “regime of the ayatollah” — and repeated a warning he delivered in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
“Whoever strikes us, we will strike them. … And today you know how true that is.”
Netanyahu added that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar would be more amenable to a hostage deal, now that he “sees that Nasrallah is not coming to save him.”
To those in the Middle East and the world terrorized by Iran and Hezbollah, Netanyahu said, the message of Friday’s attack was: “Israel stands with you.”
He noted that the attack was broadly a message to Israel’s allies, without mentioning the United States. The Biden administration had been pushing for a ceasefire before that attack and reiterated that goal even while welcoming Nasrallah’s elimination.
Netanyahu recounted the year since the October 7 terror attack, when Israel’s enemies hoped that it was “on the path to destruction.”
He declared: “They understand how their hopes have been dashed.”
Netanyahu concluded: “We are determined to continue striking at our enemies, to return our residents [to their homes], and to release all of the hostages, whom we do not forget about for a moment.”
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