Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at Israel’s Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, Israel Photo: December 18, 2023. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura/File Photo

JNS.org – Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant hailed on Saturday the targeted killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, saying the terror master directed the murder of thousands of Israelis and foreign citizens.

“To our enemies, I say: we are strong and determined. To our partners, I say: our war, is your war. And to the people of Lebanon, I say: our war is not with you. It’s time for change,” said Gallant in a video posted to X.

The Israeli Air Force conducted the massive airstrike targeting Hezbollah headquarters, built underground beneath residential buildings, in the heart of the Dahiyeh district of the Lebanese capital on Friday evening.

The operation to assassinate Nasrallah was named “New Order.”

Also Saturday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi held an assessment at the military’s Northern Command headquarters.

“Challenging days are ahead of us,” said Halevi after approving battle plans for “Northern Arrows,” the military’s name for the war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. “IDF troops are on peak alert, on defense and offense, on all fronts.”

“Nasrallah killed Israeli civilians indiscriminately,” added Halevi. “He wanted this war to end with the destruction of Israel, but we made sure that wouldn’t happen. We killed him, and we will get stronger.”

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on Saturday described Nasrallah as “one of Israel’s greatest enemies, of all time… [who] posed a threat to Israeli citizens for decades, and his elimination makes the world a safer place.

“It’s not over,” Hagari nevertheless cautioned, as Hezbollah “has more capabilities.”