Netanyahu: Gaza Win to Strike ‘Fatal Blow’ to Iran, Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that achieving a decisive victory against Hamas in Gaza is crucial for dealing a significant setback to a group of Iran-backed entities, which he refers to as “the axis of evil.” This group includes Iran, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas, according to Netanyahu’s address to army commanders. His office released a statement on Monday conveying these sentiments.

Netanyahu emphasized that failing to secure a victory could pose a threat to Israel’s security, though he did not detail what such a victory entails. He stressed that without a definitive win, Israeli citizens displaced by the conflict would not be able to return home, future attacks would be inevitable, and groups like Iran, Hezbollah, and others would have cause for celebration.

The Houthis, aligned with the anti-Western and anti-Israel stance of the Iran-backed groups, have been disrupting Red Sea shipping, prompting retaliatory actions from the United States and Britain. These rebel attacks are portrayed as expressions of solidarity with the Palestinians and as a response to Israeli military actions in Gaza since October 7, when Hamas launched attacks on Israel.

In addition to the Gaza conflict, Israeli forces have been involved in near-daily exchanges of fire with Lebanese Hezbollah over the past four months. Recently, several rockets were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, to which Israel responded by targeting the launch sites and other locations in Lebanon, including Hezbollah positions.

Netanyahu’s remarks come at a time when top diplomats from France and the U.S. are engaged in separate diplomatic missions in the Middle East, focusing on negotiating a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.