Smoke billows over southern Lebanon, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, Sept. 24, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Karamallah Daher

Hezbollah on Tuesday claimed sole responsibility for a drone attack on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s holiday home, warning another strike against the premier was coming, and said there would be no negotiations for a ceasefire while fighting continued with Israel.

The Iran-backed terrorist organization in Lebanon took “full, complete, and exclusive responsibility” for targeting Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea on Saturday, Hezbollah media chief Mohammed Afif told a press conference in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

“If we did not reach you this time, then we will reach you the next time. Between us lie the days, nights, and the battlefield,” the Hezbollah spokesman added.

Israel said a drone was launched at Netanyahu’s holiday home on Saturday. According to reports, the attempted assassination included three drones, one of which directly hit the residence. Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, were not there at the time. However, the Israeli premier blamed Iran, the chief backer of Hezbollah, for the attack.

“The attempt by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah to assassinate me and my wife today was a grave mistake,” Netanyahu said in a statement on Saturday. “This will not deter me or the State of Israel from continuing our just war against our enemies in order to secure our future.”

The Israeli leader also warned, “I say to Iran and its proxies in its axis of evil: Anyone who tries to harm Israel’s citizens will pay a heavy price.”

A senior Israeli government official similarly told the publication Ynet: “Iran tried to eliminate the prime minister of Israel — it will not escape responsibility.”

Security measures for Israelis ministers and other officials have reportedly been reinforced following the attempted assassination.

Hezbollah’s comments on Tuesday appeared to be an effort to deflect blame away from Iran and place responsibility solely with its chief proxy.

Afif also said during his press conference that there would be no negotiations over a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon as long as fighting continued.

From southern Lebanon, Hezbollah has been pummeling northern Israel with rockets, missiles, and drones almost daily since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza launched its war with the Jewish state last October. About 70,000 Israelis have been forced to evacuate their homes in the north and flee to other parts of the country amid the unrelenting attacks from Hezbollah.

Israel has vowed to ensure all its citizens can safely return to their homes and, in recent weeks, has intensified military operations against Hezbollah, seeking to push back the terrorist army from the Israel-Lebanon border.

The military campaign has been devastating for Hezbollah. The Israeli military said on Monday that the Iran-backed group retains less than 30 percent of its firepower, and since the beginning of the Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon about three weeks ago, some 1,200 terrorist operatives have been killed.

On Tuesday, Hezbollah for the first time acknowledged that Israel had captured some of its fighters in recent weeks. The terrorist group said it had not captured any Israeli soldiers but had come close.

“It won’t take long before we have captives from the enemy [Israel],” Afif said.

Reuters contributed to this report.