In the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes that killed nearly 500 people in Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Lebanese people directly, urging them not to be “human shields” for Hezbollah. His message comes as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, shifting the focus of violence from Gaza to Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s war is not with the Lebanese people but with Hezbollah, the militant group that controls much of southern Lebanon. He accused Hezbollah of placing rockets and missiles in civilian areas, using Lebanese citizens as human shields. “Hezbollah has placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garage,” Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video shared online. “These weapons are aimed directly at our cities, and to defend our people, we must take them out.”
The Israeli Prime Minister also urged the Lebanese to heed the warnings of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and evacuate areas targeted for strikes. He called on civilians to leave their homes for their own safety, assuring them they could return once Israeli operations were complete. “Don’t let Hezbollah endanger your lives or Lebanon’s future. Please, get out of harm’s way now,” he urged.
The strikes, part of “Operation Northern Arrows,” targeted Hezbollah strongholds in southern and eastern Lebanon. A “targeted strike” was also reported in Beirut. Lebanon’s Hezbollah-led health ministry reported a death toll of 492, including 35 children and 58 women, with more than 1,600 wounded. Thousands of families have been displaced due to the violence, according to Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad.
The violence comes as Hezbollah, in support of Palestinian group Hamas, has been engaging in cross-border fire with Israeli forces since the Gaza war erupted. The situation escalated after Hezbollah declared it was entering a “new phase” of confrontation, firing rockets at Israeli military sites. On Friday, a commander from Hezbollah’s elite unit was killed in southern Beirut in one such attack.
The cross-border violence has drawn widespread international condemnation. Arab states and other global powers have called for restraint, urging both Israel and Hezbollah to step back from the brink of all-out war. However, both sides remain defiant, with no signs of backing down in the escalating conflict.
