Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Threatens Devastation in Lebanon if Hezbollah Opens Second Front
During a visit to the headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong warning to Hezbollah, threatening devastation in Beirut and southern Lebanon if the militant group decides to open a second front in Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
“If Hezbollah decides to open an all-out war, then with its own hands it will turn Beirut and southern Lebanon, which are not far from here, into Gaza and Khan Yunis,” Netanyahu stated.
The warning comes as tensions continue to rise between Israel and Hezbollah, with cross-border fire becoming a daily occurrence. While the militant group has expressed solidarity with Hamas, they have so far refrained from launching a full-blown military campaign, easing fears of a wider regional conflict.
President Joe Biden, who has made containing the Israel-Hamas conflict a priority, spoke with both Netanyahu and King Abdullah II of Jordan regarding the “latest developments in Gaza,” according to the White House. Biden expressed concerns for the hostages in Gaza, attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, and the need for a steady supply of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
Despite the escalating tensions, Biden and King Abdullah “affirmed their commitment” to work with other nations in the region to help bring about a peace agreement that would include the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state, the White House stated.
Netanyahu’s warning to Hezbollah comes as Israel has turned its focus to the south of Gaza, with reports of troops entering Khan Yunis. The Israeli military has unleashed widespread destruction in the northern Gaza Strip in retaliation to the attack by Hamas, labeled a terrorist group by the US and the European Union. Netanyahu praised military reservists’ “great spirit in their readiness for battle” during his visit to the headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces’ northern command.
As the situation continues to unfold, the international community is closely monitoring the developments in the region, calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.