As Israeli Airstrikes Killed 492 People, Netanyahu Said Israel Is Not At War With People In Lebanon But Hezbollah
"Don't let Hezbollah endanger your lives and lives of your loved ones. Don't let Hezbollah endanger Lebanon," Netanyahu said, employing the same rhetoric he uses to justify Israel's genocide in Gaza.
The same day that Israel launched intense airstrikes on Lebanon and killed at least 492 people and injured another 1,645 people, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a speech addressed to the people of Lebanon, saying that Israel's war is "not with them" but with Hezbollah.
"For too long, Hezbollah has been using you as human shields," he said in a video shared on his social media on Monday Sep. 23, employing the same rhetoric he uses to justify Israel's genocide in Gaza.
He added that Hezbollah had placed rockets and missiles that are used to attack Israel and its citizens in Lebanese people's homes and garages.
"To defend our people against Hezbollah strikes, we must take out those weapons," Netanyahu said.
He said that the Israeli military had warned people in Lebanon "to get out of harm's way" in the morning.
"Don't let Hezbollah endanger your lives and lives of your loved ones. Don't let Hezbollah endanger Lebanon," he said, again evoking language he has used to describe Hamas.
He ended his speech saying that the people of Lebanon would be able to return to their homes "once our operation is finished".
Israel's bombardment of Lebanon, which it intensified after it detonated pagers and walkie talkies across the country on two consecutive days on Tuesday Sep. 17 and Wednesday Sep. 18, has already sent tens of thousands of people fleeing their homes, according to Lebanese authorities.
On Friday, Sep. 20, Israel launched an airstrike on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, that killed at least 45 people, saying it was targeting senior Hezbollah commander, Ibrahim Aqil.
Hezbollah confirmed that Aqil was killed in the attack.
The rest of those killed were civilians, including at least three children and seven women. At least 68 others were injured.
Israel's airstrikes on Monday then killed at least 492 people and injured another 1,645 others in just one day, making it the deadliest day of Israeli attacks in Lebanon since at least 2006.
At least 558 people, including 50 children, have now been killed and 1,835 wounded across Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
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