Netanyahu vows to prevent evacuations from northern Israel amid Hezbollah attacks

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that he will do “everything possible” to prevent the evacuation of Israelis from northern Israel amid cross-border attacks from Lebanon.

“We will do everything possible to prevent the evacuation of towns, and there are solutions for that,” Netanyahu said in comments carried by Channel 12, without providing further details.

He said Israel is expanding a “security zone” in southern Lebanon to remove what he called “the threat of ground incursions” from Lebanon.

Netanyahu also sought to link the current escalation with Hezbollah in Lebanon to the ongoing war with Iran.

“We are firmly determined to do whatever is necessary to change the situation in Lebanon from its roots,” he added.

Israel has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2.

Lebanese authorities say at least 1,072 people have since been killed and 2,966 injured in Israeli attacks.

The current escalation came amid a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has killed over 1,340 people since Feb. 28. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, saying they are aimed at US military assets.

​​​​​​​*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.