From the Liveblog of
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Netanyahu asserts Hezbollah ‘in retreat’ amid southern Lebanon ops
Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Opening the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces are continuing offensive operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and warns that Israel will respond forcefully to any attacks amid a porous ceasefire with the terror group.
“We will not allow fire to be directed at our territory or our communities, and we will act accordingly,” Netanyahu says in a video shared by his office, adding that the military is continuing efforts to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure in villages near the border. “We are striking them very forcefully, and we know that Hezbollah is in retreat,” he declares.
The remarks come hours after the IDF said it intercepted two rockets fired toward northern Israel, marking the first Hezbollah rocket attack on northern Israel since Wednesday and the first since a renewed ceasefire in Lebanon took effect last week. Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon have faced repeated attacks despite the ceasefire’s renewal.
Netanyahu says Israeli forces have eliminated 350 terrorists in the past week alone, and hails the IDF’s capture of Beaufort Ridge, “where they uncovered a vast underground infrastructure.”
He adds that “in the Gaza Strip, we are tightening our grip on Hamas from all sides,” reiterating that Israel currently controls over 60 percent of the territory and that he intends that “soon we will reach 70 percent.”
Netanyahu’s comments reinforce similar remarks he made last week, which drew an apparently critical response from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated on Tuesday that such a move was not part of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“We are not allowing them to rearm or harm us, and we are also eliminating their senior commanders,” Netanyahu says of Hamas.
The premier also addresses the shooting attack in Kochav Ya’ir this morning, saying the terrorist “unfortunately” succeeded in murdering an Israeli civilian and wounding others, and praising local security response teams and Israel Police officers for responding to the attack and apprehending an alleged accomplice.
The Times of Israel Community.