Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the people of Lebanon:

«Do you remember the time when your country was called the «pearl of the Middle East»? I remember. What happened to Lebanon? A gang of tyrants and terrorists destroyed it, that's what happened. Lebanon was once known for its tolerance and beauty. Today, it is a place of chaos, a place of war

Israel withdrew from Lebanon 25 years ago. But the country that actually occupied Lebanon was not Israel, but Iran. Iran finances and arms Hezbollah to serve Iranian interests at the expense of Lebanon. Hezbollah has turned Lebanon into a weapons and ammunition depot and a forward military base for Iran

A year ago, just a day after the October 7 massacre, Hezbollah joined the war against Israel. It suddenly attacked our cities and citizens. Since then, it has fired over 8,000 rockets into Israel, killing civilians – Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Druze – indiscriminately.

Israel has decided to put an end to this. We have decided to do whatever it takes to return our citizens safely to their homes

Israel has the right to defend itself. Israel has the right to win! And Israel will win!

We have weakened Hezbollah; we have killed thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself, his successor, and his successor’s successor

Hezbollah is weaker today than it has been in years

You, the citizens of Lebanon, stand at a critical crossroads. The choice is yours. You can take your country back. You can return it to the path of peace and prosperity

If you don’t, Hezbollah will continue to try to fight Israel from densely populated areas. At your expense. It doesn’t care if Lebanon is dragged into a larger war

Christians, Druze, Muslims – Sunni and Shia – you are all suffering because of Hezbollah’s senseless war against Israel

Today I ask every father and mother in Lebanon a simple question: Is it worth it? It doesn’t have to be this way. I know you want a better future for your children

So today I am speaking to all of you. There is a better way, better for your children, for your cities, for your villages, for your country. You deserve to take Lebanon back to peaceful days. You want a different Lebanon. One country, one flag, one people

Don’t let these terrorists destroy your future any more than they have already done.

Raise your heads and take your country back. You have a chance you haven’t had in decades, a chance to take care of the future of your children and grandchildren

You have the opportunity to save Lebanon from falling into the abyss of a protracted war that will lead to destruction and suffering like in Gaza. It doesn’t have to be this way. Each of you can take a step towards your future. Even a small step

I say to you, citizens of Lebanon: free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end. Free yourselves from Hezbollah so that your country can prosper again, so that future generations of Lebanese and Israeli children will no longer know war and bloodshed, but will finally live together in peace»