(Headline USA) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told world leaders at the United Nations on Friday that his nation will “continue degrading Hezbollah” until achieving its goals along the Lebanon border.
He said his government would no longer tolerate daily rocket fire from the area.
Shortly after Netanyahu wrapped up his speech, the Israeli military said it carried out a strike on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut, which caused huge blasts in the city.
“Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their home safely. And that’s exactly what we’re doing … we’ll continue degrading Hezbollah until all our objectives are met,” Netanyahu said.
“Just imagine if terrorists turned El Paso and San Diego into ghost towns … How long would the American government tolerate that?” he said, shaking his fist in emphasis. “Yet Israel has been tolerating this intolerable situation for almost a year. Well, I’ve come here today to say: Enough is enough.”
Netanyahu, armed with visual aids as he has been in the past, defended his nation’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel that triggered an Israeli military operation on the Gaza Strip. He said he traveled to the United Nations to refute the untruths he had heard from other leaders on the same rostrum earlier in the week.
“I didn’t intend to come here this year. My country is at war fighting for its life,” Netanyahu said. “But after I heard the lies and slanders leveled at my country by many of the speakers at this podium, I decided to come here and set the record straight.”
He insisted that Israel wanted peace but said of Iran: “If you strike us, we will strike you.”
“For too long, the world has appeased Iran,” Netanyahu said. “That appeasement must end.”
“This war can come to an end now. All that has to happen is for Hamas to surrender, lay down its arms and release all the hostages,” Netanyahu added. “But if they don’t—if they don’t—we will fight until we achieve total victory. Total victory. There is no substitute for it.”
He said Israeli forces have destroyed “90%” of Hamas’ rockets and killed or captured half of its forces.
He stated he was pursuing peace. “Israel has made peace and will make peace again,” he said.
In recent days, Israel has turned its attention to the border with Lebanon, where it has stepped up strikes targeting Hezbollah. Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel almost immediately after the Hamas attack, saying it was a show of support for the Palestinians.
That triggered Israeli counterfire and the two sides have traded fire almost daily for the 11 months since.
Israel vows to drive Hezbollah away from the border to allow its citizens to return safely to their homes. Hezbollah says it won’t stop firing rockets until the Gaza war ends.
Late Wednesday, the United States, France and other allies jointly called for an “immediate” 21-day cease-fire to allow for negotiations as fears grow that this week’s escalation could spiral into an all-out war. Hezbollah hasn’t officially responded to the ceasefire proposal.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
