Netanyahu Vows ‘Very Heavy Price’ After Hezbollah Strike Kills Four Israeli Soldiers

Vowing to exact a "very heavy price" from Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of four Israeli soldiers, including a commander, who were killed in the "heinous attack".

The Israeli forces alleged Hezbollah had violated the ceasefire when a suspected drone strike killed an IDF tank battalion commander and three other soldiers in southern Lebanon.

In a post on X, Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and extended wishes for the full recovery of those wounded.

He denounced the attack as a "blatant violation of the ceasefire" and confirmed that he instructed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to strike the militant group with "full force."

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the commander of the 52nd Armored Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gadliah Ben Simhon, and of the three heroic fighters whose names have not yet been released, may their blood be avenged, and I wish a full recovery to the wounded in yesterday's exchange of fire,” he wrote in the post.

How did the IDF respond to the Hezbollah attack?

“Following the heinous attack by Hezbollah, which was a blatant violation of the ceasefire, I instructed the IDF last night to strike Hezbollah with full force," he added.

The Prime Minister affirmed that the IDF successfully attacked more than 80 terrorist targets and eliminated dozens of militants in the wake of the breach.

He added that the Israeli operations continued this morning with a strike on Hezbollah headquarters in the Bekaa Valley.

Following a situation assessment with the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the General Staff, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will not tolerate threats to its territory or military personnel.

He reaffirmed that Israeli forces will maintain a presence in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to protect communities in northern Israel.

"The IDF will act to thwart any threat to our forces and our territory," the Prime Minister stated, underscoring that his directive to the military is clear and unwavering.

"This morning, I held a situation assessment with the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff. My directive is clear: Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks. As I made unequivocally clear, including yesterday: Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as required to protect the settlements in the north," he wrote.

His remarks come after Israel Defence Forces (IDF) carried out strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon on Friday, killing at least 16 people and leaving several more injured, Al Jazeera reported.

(With inputs from ANI)