Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will continue targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah “wherever necessary,” following deadly Israeli strikes that hit Lebanon on Wednesday.
In a post on his personal X account on Thursday (April 9), Netanyahu said Israel’s military operations would continue with “force, precision, and determination” against the armed group.
“Our message is clear: anyone who acts against Israeli civilians — we will strike them. We will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary, until we fully restore security to the residents of the north,” he said.
The Israeli military also confirmed ongoing ground operations in southern Lebanon, where troops have been engaged in clashes with Hezbollah fighters since early March and are maintaining positions in the area.
In a separate statement, the military said it had carried out overnight strikes on two key crossings allegedly used by Hezbollah operatives to move weapons and personnel between northern and southern areas of the Litani River. It also reported hitting around 10 weapons storage sites, rocket launchers, and command centres linked to the group.
Lebanese authorities said Wednesday’s strikes resulted in more than 200 deaths and over 1,000 injuries, according to the country’s health ministry, marking one of the deadliest escalations in recent weeks.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed in a video statement that more than 200 militants were killed in the latest operations, bringing the total to over 1,400 since the campaign began.
He also said Hezbollah was under pressure to seek a ceasefire, adding that its Iranian backers were increasingly concerned about the group’s losses on the battlefield.
In response, Lebanon’s prime minister’s office declared Thursday a national day of mourning for victims of the attacks and ordered public offices closed while flags were lowered at half-mast.
Hours later, Hezbollah said it had launched rocket fire toward northern Israel, describing it as retaliation for what it called violations of a US-Iran truce agreement. Air raid sirens were reported across several northern Israeli communities.
The US and Iran had earlier agreed to a two-week ceasefire framework and negotiations aimed at de-escalating a wider conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives and disrupted global economic stability.
