After 4 troops killed, Netanyahu insists Israel will remain in Lebanon buffer zone ‘as long as necessary’; Hezbollah will pay ‘very heavy price’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he ordered strikes against dozens of Hezbollah targets last night after four troops were killed and others were wounded in attacks by the terror group overnight, reiterating that Israel will remain in its security zone in southern Lebanon “for as long as necessary.”

“Following Hezbollah’s criminal attack, which constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire, I instructed the IDF last night to strike Hezbollah with force,” he says in a Hebrew-language statement from his office.

According to the premier, the IDF struck more than 80 Hezbollah targets and killed dozens of terrorists overnight, before carrying out additional strikes on Hezbollah command centers in the Beqaa Valley this morning.

“Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or on our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for such attacks,” he adds. Repeating a pledge he made yesterday, Netanyahu says that “Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary in order to protect the communities of the north.”

He adds that he extends his condolences to the families of soldiers killed overnight and wishes a full recovery to those wounded.

US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have expressed unprecedented criticism of Israeli military conduct against Hezbollah this week, as Iran continues to insist that a full Israeli withdrawal is a condition of its deal with Washington.