Hezbollah chief Nasrallah's likely successors killed: Israel's Netanyahu

Israeli forces have eliminated key figures in Hezbollah's leadership succession, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday. "We have weakened Hezbollah's capabilities," he declared in a pre-recorded video statement. Thousands of terrorists were eliminated by us, including Nasrallah, his successor, and even the replacement of the successor. Netanyahu did not, however, provide any names.

In the video message, the Israeli Prime Minister spoke "to the people of Lebanon", asking them to "free yourselves from Hezbollah". He stated that Israel has a "right to defend itself."

Hezbollah is weaker now than it has been in years, Netanyahu said. "You can now take back your country and return it to a path of peace and prosperity," he said, addressing the Lebanese directly, urging them to grasp the chance for change. Netanyahu's remarks coincide with the region's continuing tensions, where Hezbollah has maintained a sizable military presence for a long time.

Netanyahu emphasized the Lebanese people's ability to shape their country's destiny later in the video message. But he cautioned that inaction might have disastrous results. He warned, highlighting the dangers of increasing combat in civilian areas, that "if you don't, Hezbollah will continue to try to fight Israel from densely populated areas at your expense."

By portraying Hezbollah as a destabilizing force, the prime minister's speech underscores a larger plan to promote internal change inside Lebanon. "It doesn't care if Israel is dragged into a wider war," he claimed, indicating that the organization is prepared to wage war regardless of the Lebanese people.

Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that Hashem Safieddine, the likely successor to the late Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, had likely been "killed." It remains unclear who Netanyahu referred to as the "replacement of the replacement," news agency Reuters reported.
 

• Netanyahu