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Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s accused of genocide in Gaza, warned Iran that there was nowhere in the Middle East that his country could not reach.
Netanyahu pointed to Mohammed Deif, a Hamas military leader Israel claims to have killed in the Gaza Strip in July, and Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader killed in Beirut last week, in his video message.
“Ask Mohammed Deif. Ask Nasrallah. There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach. There is nowhere we will not go to protect our people and protect our country,” he said.
The current government was bringing the Iranian people “closer to the abyss,” he said.
“When Iran is finally free, and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think, everything will be different. Our two ancient peoples, the Jewish people and the Persian people, will finally be at peace,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu was speaking as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued air strikes on Lebanon and appeared to be preparing a ground invasion of the country.
The assassination of Nasrallah was one of the heaviest blows in decades to both Hezbollah and Iran. He was the most powerful leader in Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” against Israeli and U.S. interests in the Middle East.
Israel indicated on Monday that a land invasion was an option in Lebanon after two weeks of intensive airstrikes and the elimination of Nasrallah, as the group’s deputy leader said it was primed for any offensive.
Speaking to troops deployed along Israel’s northern border, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel would do whatever it takes to ensure the return of citizens who have fled rockets, launched by Hezbollah in response to Israel’s genocidal attacks in the Gaza Strip.
“We will use all the means that may be required – your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land. Good luck,” said Gallant, who was briefed by commanders.
“The elimination of Nasrallah is an important step, but it is not the final one. In order to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities, we will employ all of our capabilities, and this includes you.”
But in his first public speech since Israeli airstrikes killed Nasrallah last week, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem said Hezbollah fighters were primed to confront any Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon and thwart its aims.
Iran and Israel often threaten each other with the destruction of their respective regimes, following decades of tensions that culminated in Iran directly launching drones and missiles on Israel last April, following a deadly Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria.
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