Security and municipal officials in northern Israel are preparing for a possible response from Hezbollah following Israel’s elimination of Ahmed Ali Balout, the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, in a strike on Wednesday in the Hezbollah stronghold neighborhood of Dahieh in Beirut.
Balout’s death was confirmed by the IDF on Thursday morning. The strike was the IDF’s first on the Lebanese capital in weeks amid the so-called ceasefire.
Following an updated situational assessment conducted by the IDF Northern Command, the Nahariya Municipality announced on Thursday that all exemptions previously granted for large public events in the city have been revoked.
The Upper Galilee Regional Council also announced the cancellation of large public events.
Residents of yishuvim on the northern border have been instructed to avoid all large non-essential gatherings.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu published a video message on Thursday announcing the death of Balout and warning that none of Israel’s enemies will enjoy immunity, a message that was possibly a response to reports that the emerging Iran-US deal includes an Iranian demand for a continued “ceasefire” between Israel and Lebanon.
“Yesterday evening, we eliminated the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, in the heart of Beirut,” Netanyahu said. “This is the same senior terrorist who led the plan to conquer the north.”
“He thought he could continue to direct attacks against our forces and our communities from his secret terrorist headquarters in Beirut. He likely read in the press that he had immunity in Beirut. Well, he read it, and it is no longer the case.”
“In the past month, we have eliminated more than 200 Hezbollah terrorists who acted against Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers. We are doing the same in Gaza, eliminating terror cells, including yesterday.”
“I say to our enemies in the clearest possible way: No terrorist has immunity. Anyone who threatens the State of Israel will pay the price.”
“Thank you to our heroic fighters, to the intelligence personnel, and to our Air Force. You are the best in the world. I salute you; Am Yisrael salutes you!”
(YWN Israel Desk-Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
Not a word of acknowledgement for the Borei Olam for these open miracles in eliminating terrorists with minimal consequences. The USA defence systems across the Gulf middle were heavily damaged by Irans strikes but in EY they barely managed to scratch the defensive systems, it’s an open miracle due to the zechus of lomdei Torah but the PM can’t even utter a hint of thanks to Hashem