Israel Kills Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah, Claims “Historic Turning Point”
In a bold move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Saturday that his country had “settled the score” with the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in an air strike in Beirut. The Israeli premier claimed that Nasrallah’s elimination is a necessary condition for achieving Israel’s goals, including the safe return of residents to their homes and a long-term alteration of the balance of power in the region.
Netanyahu’s statement comes as Israel faces growing criticism at home and abroad over its war policy in the Gaza Strip. The killing of Nasrallah is seen as a significant blow to Hezbollah, a militant group that has been a thorn in Israel’s side for decades.
The Israeli premier’s comments also alluded to the 1983 bombings in Beirut that killed 63 people at the US embassy and 241 US marines and 58 French paratroopers at their barracks. Netanyahu said that as long as Nasrallah was alive, he would quickly restore the capabilities Hezbollah had eroded from Israel in recent operations.
The killing of Nasrallah is expected to have significant implications for the region, including the potential return of hostages seized by Hamas during its October 7 attack and still held in Gaza. Netanyahu said that the more Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar sees that Hezbollah will no longer come to his aid, the greater the chances of returning the captives.
In a statement, Netanyahu declared, “We are winning. We are determined to continue striking our enemies, returning our residents to their homes, and bringing back all our hostages. We do not forget them for a moment.”
