Netanyahu pledges “relentless” strikes on Hezbollah after killing leader's secretary

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that Israel “will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever necessary” after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the assassination of Ali Yusuf Harshi, secretary to Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem.

“Our message is clear: whoever acts against Israeli civilians will be targeted. We will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever necessary, until we restore full security to the residents of the north,” Netanyahu wrote in a Hebrew-language post on X, The Times of Israel reports.

אנחנו ממשיכים להכות בחיזבאללה בעוצמה, בדיוק ובנחישות.

בביירות חיסלנו את עלי יוסף חרשי, מזכירו האישי של מזכ״ל ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה נעים קאסם ואחד האנשים הקרובים אליו ביותר.

במקביל, הלילה תקף צה״ל שורת תשתיות טרור בדרום לבנון: מעברים ששימשו להעברת אלפי אמצעי לחימה, רקטות… pic.twitter.com/tKGuRJKBIE

— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 9, 2026

Alongside Harshi’s killing, Netanyahu said, “the IDF struck a series of terror infrastructures in southern Lebanon: crossing points used to transfer thousands of weapons, rockets and launchers, as well as weapons depots, launch sites, and Hezbollah command centers.” He shared IDF footage of the operations.

“We continue to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination,” Netanyahu added.

The escalation comes amid ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, even after the United States reached a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran on April 7—the group’s main patron. Conflicting claims have emerged from Washington, Tehran, Jerusalem, and mediating countries over whether the ceasefire covers hostilities involving Hezbollah.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for overnight rocket launches targeting northern Israel, marking its first attacks since the ceasefire began. The group said the strikes were in response to substantial Israeli operations in Lebanon the previous day, which it described as violations of the truce.

By Vafa Guliyeva