In his first interview since a ceasefire deal in Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that he had ordered the army to be ready for “fierce war” if Hezbollah violated the accord.
Speaking to Channel 14 television, Netanyahu said that “if there is a flagrant violation of the (truce) agreement, I have ordered the Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) to be ready for a fierce war.”
He estimated that the ceasefire in Lebanon “may be short”, assuring that Israel respected it “on the first day”.
Asked why Israel is not establishing a safe zone in southern Lebanon, Netanyahu noted that “the threat of a ground invasion (into Israeli territory) has been eliminated.” He pointed out that the Israeli army destroyed Hezbollah’s infrastructure on the border, including underground shelters and tunnels.
The residents of northern Israel “will gradually return when they realize that what I am saying is true,” the Israeli prime minister said.
He did not hide his belief that conditions have improved for reaching an agreement aimed at freeing the hostages who remain in the hands of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “I believe that conditions have changed a lot, for the better,” he estimated.
Referring to Iran’s nuclear program, Netanyahu made it clear: “I will do everything to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.”
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