Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning on Thursday, emphasizing that those who target Israel will face severe consequences. This statement came after Israel confirmed the deaths of top Hezbollah and Hamas commanders in recent military strikes.
Netanyahu convened a detailed assessment at the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Home Front Command, meeting with generals and senior officers to discuss the recent developments. The confirmed casualties included Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and Hamas commander Muhammad Deif.
During the meeting, Netanyahu emphasized Israel's state of high readiness for any potential threats, both defensively and offensively. He reiterated Israel's commitment to exacting a significant price for any acts of aggression against the country from any source.
Shukr, also known as Hajj Mohsin, was identified as the mastermind behind a drone attack that resulted in the deaths of 12 children and teenagers at a soccer field in the Golan Heights. He was serving as a senior advisor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah at the time of his death in an IDF strike in southern Beirut.
The IDF reported that Deif was responsible for orchestrating the Hamas terror attacks against Israel on October 7th, in collaboration with Yahya Sinwar, the top Hamas leader in Gaza. These attacks led to the deaths of 1,200 individuals in southern Israel and the abduction of 251 hostages into the Gaza Strip. Sinwar is believed to be in hiding in Gaza.
Israel confirmed that Deif was killed in an IDF strike in Gaza on July 13. Netanyahu emphasized that the elimination of Deif underscores Israel's policy of responding decisively to those who harm the country.
Tensions in the region escalated further this week following the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. While Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the killing, both Iran and Hamas have accused the Jewish state of involvement.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared that it is Iran's duty to avenge Haniyeh's death, as he was killed on Iranian soil.
