Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yedai visited the security zone in southern Lebanon on Tuesday evening. Netanyahu told troops that Hezbollah's 150,000-rocket arsenal has been reduced to roughly 8%, that 9,000 operatives have been killed, and that the IDF will remain as long as the threat persists.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visiting the IDF security zone in southern Lebanon Tuesday evening alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz and Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yedai, told troops that Hezbollah's pre-war arsenal of some 150,000 rockets has been reduced to roughly 8% and that 9,000 operatives have been eliminated — the first time he has cited that casualty figure during a ground visit. The remarks were his most detailed direct address to soldiers since the zone was established.
The Zioneer has tracked the visit through multiple updates since Tuesday 16:08 Jerusalem. Initial reports, based on a single unofficial source, said Netanyahu and Katz were inside Lebanon. By 16:08, Israeli sources confirmed the visit, and subsequent versions added that Netanyahu instructed troops to 'act if you identify a threat.' At 17:12, The Zioneer reported that he told troops Hezbollah's rocket arsenal had been reduced to 8%. By 18:45 he had issued a direct ultimatum to Hezbollah and Iran to 'get out of here.' The current update adds the 9,000 figure — a claim that has not been independently verified.
As The Zioneer has reported, the IDF has struck hundreds of Hezbollah targets in recent weeks following ceasefire violations. On Thu Jun 18, 17:25 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Netanyahu rejected withdrawal pressure and that 300 Hezbollah targets were struck in two days. On Fri Jun 26, 20:57 Jerusalem, he claimed Hezbollah had lost 90% of its rocket stockpile — the 8% figure now appears to be a refinement of that earlier estimate.
It remains unclear on what basis Netanyahu's 9,000 elimination figure is calculated, or whether it includes both verified and unverified kills. The 8% rocket-arsenal estimate has not been independently confirmed by any official Israeli or international source.
9 developments
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- StrongNetanyahu: If we hadn't struck Iran, it would have nuclear weapons; vows to stay in Lebanon buffer zone
- StrongNetanyahu told cabinet last week Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon even under US pressure, Yarhi reports
- StrongNetanyahu: IDF controls nearly 70% of Gaza Strip; vows no withdrawal from Lebanon buffer zone
Source and signal
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