Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the press on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, July 8, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

i24 News – Just hours after the killing of Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s number two and a key commander of the Radwan Force, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation Sunday evening in a firm, resolute statement.

Netanyahu described Tabatabai as “one of the most dangerous strategists” within the Lebanese Shiite terrorist group, alleging that he had intended to “invade Galilee and massacre Israeli citizens.”

The Prime Minister also noted that the senior official had been actively working to “rebuild and rearm” Hezbollah following strikes that destroyed much of its missile arsenal and after the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah.

Praising the IDF and Israeli security services for their “professional, precise, and successful” operation, Netanyahu vowed: “Under my leadership, Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its strength. We will not let this organization once again become a threat to the State of Israel.”

He further urged the Lebanese government to “honor its commitment to disarm Hezbollah,” calling this the only path toward “a better Lebanon” and “secure, neighborly relations between Israel and Lebanon.”

In closing, Netanyahu congratulated former US President Donald Trump for declaring the Muslim Brotherhood illegal, describing it as a movement “that destabilizes the Middle East and beyond” and reiterating that Israel has long classified the organization as terrorist.