Netanyahu says Israel will exercise self-defense rights ‘whenever necessary’

The prime minister said the latest exchange of fire stemmed from attempts by Iran and Hezbollah to establish what he called an unacceptable new reality.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would continue taking military action against threats from Iran and Hezbollah, while defending recent operations in Beirut and Iran following a ceasefire between Jerusalem and Tehran.

In a recorded address, Netanyahu said Israel had acted after attacks originating from both Iran and Lebanon and would continue to exercise its right to self-defense.

“Israel has the full right to self-defense, and we exercise it whenever necessary,” Netanyahu said. “I say this to you just as I say it, with appreciation and respect, in my good conversations with my friend President Trump.”

The prime minister said the latest exchange of fire stemmed from attempts by Iran and Hezbollah to establish what he called an unacceptable new reality.

“Over the past 24 hours, Iran and Hezbollah tried to impose a new equation on us. That equation is intolerable and completely unacceptable to me,” he said. “They thought they could fire from Lebanon and Iran at Israel and that we would not act. That did not happen, and it will not happen. Not on my watch!”

According to Netanyahu, he ordered the Israel Defense Forces to strike terrorist targets in Beirut and eliminate Hezbollah operatives after Hezbollah launched fire into Israeli territory.

He said that following attacks on Israel by Iran, he directed the military to target military and economic sites across Iran.

Netanyahu also used the speech to review Israel’s campaigns against both adversaries.

He said Israel had conducted a preemptive operation against Iran’s intention to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons and reiterated that Tehran would not obtain such capabilities.

“I reiterate my commitment: Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he said.

The prime minister further stated that Hezbollah had planned to enter the Galilee with thousands of terrorists while maintaining an arsenal of 150,000 missiles and rockets. He said Israel had neutralized that threat and killed Hassan Nasrallah.

Netanyahu said Israeli forces continue operations against Hezbollah infrastructure in the security zone, including underground facilities in the Beaufort Ridge.

Addressing the ceasefire, Netanyahu said hostilities stopped after Iran halted ballistic missile launches toward Israel.

“At the moment, the fire has ceased because after we struck the terrorist regime in Tehran, it stopped attacking us,” he said. “If the terrorist regime in Iran makes the mistake of attacking us again, we will respond with force.”