Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday claimed that Iranian-backed groups tried to assassinate him and his wife, after his office said that a drone targeted his residence.
“The attempt by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah to assassinate me and my wife today was a grave mistake. This will not deter me or the State of Israel from continuing our just war against our enemies in order to secure our future,” Netanyahu posted on X.
“I say to Iran and its proxies in its axis of evil: Anyone who tries to harm Israel’s citizens will pay a heavy price. We will continue to eliminate the terrorists and those who dispatch them. We will bring our hostages home from Gaza. And we will return our citizens who live on our Northern border safely to their homes,” the Israeli premier said.
“Israel is determined to achieve all our war objectives and change the security reality in our region for generations to come. Together, we will fight, and with God’s help –together, we will win.
On Saturday, the Israeli military reported that a drone from Lebanon crossed into Israel and struck the town of Caesarea. According to local media, the drone was targeting Netanyahu’s residence.
According to an AP report, Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for the attack but said it carried out several rocket attacks on northern and central Israel.
The barrage came as Israel is expected to respond to an attack earlier this month by Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas.
Israel drops leaflets showing Sinwar’s body in Gaza
On Saturday, Israeli planes dropped leaflets over southern Gaza, showing a picture of slain Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar. The leaflet read,”Hamas will no longer rule Gaza”, echoing language used by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Reuters reported.
ALSO READ: Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has ‘settled its account’ with Sinwar killing
Sinwar was killed by Israeli soldiers operating in Rafah, in the south near the Egyptian border, on Wednesday. The October 7 attack Sinwar planned on Israeli communities a year ago killed around 1,200 people, with another 253 dragged back to Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
ALSO READ: Who will succeed Yahya Sinwar as Hamas chief? 3 candidates in fray
Israel’s subsequent war has devastated Gaza, killing more than 42,500 Palestinians, with another 10,000 uncounted dead thought to lie under the rubble, Gaza health authorities say.
(With agency inputs)
