Nowhere in Iran beyond the reach of Israel’s long arm: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said there is nowhere in Iran or the Middle East beyond the reach of Israel’s long arm, and today, that truth has been made clear.
He declared that the assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in a targeted airstrike would significantly reshape power structures across the Middle East. He also issued a stern warning to Iran, asserting that Israel's military could strike anywhere in the region.
"Those who strike at us, we will strike at them," Netanyahu said, according to Times of Israel.
Netanyahu’s remarks, his first since the massive Israeli airstrike that killed Nasrallah in Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut on Friday, coincided with ongoing Israeli air raids on Hezbollah positions. Israel also announced a blockade aimed at halting Iranian weapons shipments into Lebanon and hinted at the possibility of expanding its strikes after nearly a week of intensified conflict.
Despite significant losses from Israel’s relentless air campaign, Hezbollah continued its rocket attacks, firing at least 100 rockets into Israel on Saturday, including one targeting Jerusalem — a first for the group.
Nasrallah’s death, which follows a series of strikes decimating Hezbollah’s leadership, has created uncertainty about whether the assassination could trigger a broader conflict in the region. Nasrallah was widely regarded as the most powerful Iranian proxy leader in the region, and his death marks a dramatic escalation in the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah.
Speaking from Jerusalem after returning from the UN General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu said Nasrallah’s elimination was a critical step toward achieving Israel’s war objectives, which include enabling the safe return of residents of northern Israel who have endured nearly a year of Hezbollah rocket attacks.
“Nasrallah wasn’t just another terrorist — he was ‘the’ terrorist,” Netanyahu said. “Eliminating him was essential for restoring safety to our northern citizens and for reshaping the balance of power in the region for years to come."
Netanyahu emphasised that as long as Nasrallah was alive, Hezbollah would have quickly regained its strength. The assassination was necessary to prevent this and to disrupt Iran’s broader regional ambitions.
In a direct challenge to Tehran, Netanyahu also highlighted Iran’s role in financing and arming Hezbollah, effectively turning it into a formidable extension of the Islamic Republic on Israel’s northern border. The Israeli prime minister appeared to further escalate the confrontation by noting that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had moved to a secure location in the aftermath of Nasrallah’s assassination.
Source: Times of Israel
