Netanyahu threatened Lebanon with a war of destruction, and announced the death of Hezbollah's successor

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Israel killed Hashem Safi al Din, Hassan Nasrallah’s supposed successor at the helm of the Shiite group Hezbollah, as well as the latter’s possible replacement, during its bombing campaign in Lebanon, specifically against a Beirut suburb.

“We damaged Hezbollah’s capabilities. “We have eliminated thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself, Nasrallah’s successor and the successor of Nasrallah’s successor,” the Israeli prime minister said in a statement, without mentioning Safi al Din, Deutsche Welle reported.

Elimination of Nasrallah’s successor

Netanyahu’s confirmation comes after several days of unknowns about whether an Israeli bombing in Beirut last Friday managed to kill Safi al Din or not.

In statements that directly appealed to the Lebanese to “free the country from Hezbollah,” Netanyahu threatened the Lebanese population with “a long war that will bring destruction and suffering similar to what we see in Gaza,” Deutsche Welle shared.

“You have the opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss,” said the Israeli leader, ensuring that if the country frees itself from Hezbollah, the war, which leaves more than 2,100 dead on the Lebanese side, can end.

“Hezbollah is weaker,” Netanyahu

Netanyahu assured that today “Hezbollah is weaker than it has been in many, many years,” and claimed that “Israel has the right to defend itself, and it also has the right to win, and it will win.”

According to Netanyahu, this opportunity must be seized. “If not, Hezbollah will continue trying to fight Israel from densely populated areas at your expense. “They don’t care if Lebanon is dragged into a major war,” he noted.

“Do not let these terrorists destroy your future any more than they already have,” added the Israeli premier, according to Deutsche Welle.

They lost contact with successor Safi al Din

Earlier this day, Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, had said that Nasrallah’s supposed successor – the organization never confirmed that he held that position – “was probably also eliminated.”

A high-level source in the Lebanese Islamist movement stated on Saturday that contact with Safi al Din had been lost following the Israeli bombings last week. Gallant declared Tuesday that Hezbollah was already a “broken organization, with no significant command or firepower and a disintegrated leadership.”

With information from Deutsche Welle

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