'We'll settle the score ...': Netanyahu vows ‘crushing blows’ against enemies as key Hamas and Hezbollah leaders fall

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that his country has delivered "crushing blows" to its enemies in recent days, following the deaths of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, reported CNN. While Netanyahu did not explicitly confirm Israel's involvement in Haniyeh's assassination, he highlighted Israel's recent military actions, including the attack on Hezbollah's Shukr and other strategic targets.

Netanyahu’s comments, delivered during a televised address, underscored Israel's preparedness for any potential retaliation. “These are challenging days. There are threats from Beirut. We are ready for any scenario. We are prepared,” he said, emphasizing that Israel would respond forcefully to any attacks. “We’ll settle the score with anyone who harms us, anyone who massacres our children, anyone who murders our citizens, anyone who hurts our nation,” he added.

Despite the significant military operations, the White House has not confirmed reports of Haniyeh's death. US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, expressed concern over the escalating violence, noting that the deaths of Haniyeh and Shukr add to the already tense situation. “All of this adds to the complicated nature of what we’re trying to get done,” Kirby remarked, signaling the international apprehension surrounding the conflict’s intensification.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, confirmed the death of its senior commander Fuad Shukr in a statement, mourning him as a "great martyr on the path to Jerusalem." Shukr was believed to have played a significant role in a recent deadly attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Palestinian Authority declared a national day of mourning in response to Haniyeh's assassination, with President Mahmoud Abbas condemning the killing as a “cowardly act and dangerous development.” Palestinian flags were flown at half-staff, and factions across the West Bank called for a general strike and demonstrations, marking a rare moment of unity among Palestinians during a time of intense fragmentation and uncertainty.