Netanyahu vows Israel will continue attacks on Hamas and Hezbollah

2025-11-23 13:29:18, Kosova & Bota CNA

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday that his country would do "whatever is necessary" to prevent the regrouping of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Over the past week, Israel has struck several targets in neighboring Lebanon, while the Israeli military said on Saturday that it hit Hezbollah rocket launchers and military targets.

The civil defense agency in Gaza said 21 people were killed and dozens more were injured in several Israeli airstrikes on Saturday.

Hamas - the Palestinian group designated a terrorist group by the US and other powers - and Israel again exchanged accusations over the violation of the fragile ceasefire that has been in place since October 10.

"We are continuing to strike terrorism on several fronts," Netanyahu said at the opening of his cabinet meeting on Sunday.

"This weekend, the IDF [Israeli military] struck in Lebanon, and we will continue to do whatever is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from restoring its threatening capability against us."

"We are also doing this in the Gaza Strip. Since the ceasefire, Hamas has not stopped violating it, and we are acting accordingly," Netanyahu said.

Saturday was one of the deadliest days since a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect, after two years of war.

The Israeli military said an "armed terrorist" had crossed the so-called Yellow Line - the border inside the Gaza Strip, beyond which Israeli forces have withdrawn - and opened fire on Israeli soldiers.

The military "began striking terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip" in response, the statement said.

Netanyahu claimed on Sunday that Hamas had made "several attempts" to penetrate beyond the yellow line to "try to harm our soldiers."

"We have prevented this with great force and have also responded by inflicting a very heavy price. This includes many terrorists that we have eliminated," he added.

Netanyahu said the idea that Israel needed external approval before taking action is an "absolute lie."

"We decide independently of any factors, and that's how it should be. Israel is responsible for its own security," he said.

The Israeli military and the Shin Bet internal security agency claimed that Saturday's strikes in Gaza "eliminated the head of supply and equipment at Hamas' production center."

Alaa Haddadeh "operated to transfer weapons from the Hamas center to battalion and field commanders," a joint statement said./ REL