Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israeli forces were closing in on Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Lebanon, declaring the military was “about to eliminate” the group’s presence in Bint Jbeil.
Speaking in a video statement, Netanyahu said Israeli strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah were continuing even as pressure mounted for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
“Our forces continue to strike Hezbollah,” he said, adding that operations are now focused on dismantling what he described as a “major Hezbollah stronghold” in Bint Jbeil, which he called the group’s capital in southern Lebanon.
“We are, in effect, about to eliminate this great stronghold of Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said. At the same time, he confirmed that Israel is engaged in talks with Lebanon, negotiations he said were made possible by Israel’s military position.
“These negotiations have not taken place for over 40 years. They are happening now because we are very strong, and countries are coming to us, not only Lebanon,” Reuters quoted him as saying.
Netanyahu said Israel’s objectives in the talks are clear: pushing Hezbollah away from the border and securing long-term stability.
“In these negotiations, there are two main goals: first, to push Hezbollah away; and second, to achieve a sustainable peace — a peace through strength,” he said.
He added that he had instructed the military to reinforce and expand the security zone in southern Lebanon, including areas stretching toward the slopes of Mount Hermon.
The latest escalation traces back to late February, when US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a wider regional conflict, reigniting hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
On Iran, Netanyahu said Israel remains closely aligned with Washington.
“Our American allies are keeping us constantly updated on their contacts with Iran,” he said. “Our objectives with the United States are aligned.”
He said both countries want to see Iran’s enriched nuclear material removed and its enrichment capabilities dismantled, along with the reopening of key shipping routes.
Still, Netanyahu struck a cautious note about what lies ahead.
“It is too early to say how this will end, or even how it will progress,” he said. “In light of the possibility that the war may resume, we are prepared for any scenario.”
