Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday that the army has destroyed “between 70% and 80%” of Hezbollah’s missile arsenal, warning, however, that the group still retains significant firepower.  

Addressing the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu revealed that three options were initially presented to him for dealing with Hezbollah, but he introduced a more aggressive fourth option: the complete destruction of Hezbollah’s missile capabilities.

Netanyahu accused slain Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah of overseeing plans to destroy Israel.

“There was a debate within the cabinet about eliminating Nasrallah, and the overwhelming majority approved this step,” he disclosed. “Had Hezbollah carried out its planned operations, the situation would have been far worse than what we are currently witnessing in Gaza.”  

Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s demand for Hezbollah’s withdrawal beyond the Litani River, describing the move as essential to maintaining security.

“Negotiations are taking place under fire and bombardment,” he said. “Our response must be preemptive: preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding its military capabilities and halting the group’s weapons supply through Syria.”  

The Israeli leader reiterated that the destruction of Hezbollah’s infrastructure is a top priority.

“We have dismantled a significant portion of their capabilities, but this fight is far from over,” he added.  

Hamas Negotiations Stalled  

Turning to the ongoing conflict with Hamas, Netanyahu accused the group of obstructing progress on a prisoner exchange deal.

“Hamas, not Israel, is the obstacle to securing the release of our captives,” he said. “Efforts to bring back those still held captive have not stopped for even a moment. So far, we have secured the release of 145 hostages.”  

Netanyahu cited statements from U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby and other American officials, who he said confirmed that “Hamas is the party refusing to engage in meaningful negotiations.” He called for increased international pressure on Hamas to soften its demands.  

A Multi-Front War  

Netanyahu framed the current conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah as an existential struggle for Israel’s future.

“Since the first day of the war, I have emphasized again and again that the core of our struggle is ‘Together, we will prevail.’ This is a new war for the existence and future of our state,” he declared.  

He outlined three primary objectives for the war effort: eliminating Hamas’s capabilities, securing the return of the captives, and preventing a repeat of the events of October 7.

Netanyahu acknowledged that significant progress had been made against Hamas.

“We have destroyed a substantial part of Hamas’s capabilities, and while the work is not yet finished, we have come a long way,” he said.  

Iran's Nuclear Program Component Hit

Netanyahu also claimed that Israel’s retaliatory attack on Iran last month degraded Tehran's defense and missile production capabilities and also hit an element of its nuclear program.

“It’s not a secret,” Netanyahu stated. “There is a specific component in their nuclear program that was hit in this attack.”