Israel Katz says the group “will pay a high price” and claims that leader Naim Qassem is a target to be neutralized
The minister of , , stated on his profile on the social network X (formerly Twitter), this Monday (2.Mar.2026), that the extremist organization Hezbollah “he will pay a high price for attacking Israel”. The minister also declared that Hezbollah’s secretary general, Naim Qassem, is now a “specific target to be neutralized”.
The statement was made after the group attacked northern Israel in response. In the publication, Katz also stated that “Anyone who follows Khamenei’s path will soon meet him in the depths of hell”.
According to the diplomat, he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right, Likud) instructed the Defense Forces to “act firmly against Hezbollah” with the aim of “crush and defeat the Iranian terrorist regime and neutralize its capabilities”. The minister added that Israel will not return to “shooting rules before October 7th” and that the country will defend “with all your strength” residents of the north and all Israeli citizens.
He also cited the “Operation Roar of the Harrier”known as “Operation Lion’s Roar”as part of the strategy to eliminate threats to the State of Israel and allow, in his words, Iranian citizens “stand up against the regime and overthrow it”.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, around 200 fighter jets participated in the action, which had more than 500 military targets.
The F-15C/D/I, F-16C/D/I and F-35I fighters were used. KC-707 aircraft, used for in-flight refueling, and the G550 CAEW, aimed at aerial early warning and electronic warfare, also participated.
CLIMBING IN TENSION
The after weeks of tension between the 2 countries. On February 19, Trump stated that, within 10 days, he would know whether to give “one step forward” in relation to an attack against the Persian country.
Afterwards, the Republican declared that everyone, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Dan Caine, considers that a possible war against Iran would result in one.
In , on Tuesday (24.Feb), Trump said that the US had not yet heard Iran pronounce “those magic words: ‘we will never have a nuclear weapon’”. In his speech, the American president stated that the Persian regime “has already developed missiles that could threaten Europe and our bases abroad, and is working to build missiles that will soon reach the USA”.
Trump’s statements were made while dealing with Iran, which did not result in an agreement.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the country if the Americans recognized its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes and lifted economic sanctions.
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