Israeli Prime Minister Netanyah links Oct 7 aftermath to new Hezbollah offensive and buffer‑zone push

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah told a Channel 14 interview that he has “ein bisschen abgenommen” (lost a little weight) since the Oct 7 Hamas attack and used the occasion to stress political lessons: mobilising reservists, continuing war against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, and pursuing operations in Syria. He said the most important goal is to keep “Pufferzonen” (buffer zones) outside Israel’s borders rather than inside the country.

Netanyah then ordered the Israeli army to destroy all Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, including underground tunnels, and explicitly ruled out any troop withdrawal until the militia is fully disarmed. He claimed roughly 9,000 “terrorists” have been killed and that a security zone of about 620 sq km has been established, a move the Lebanese government calls illegal.

His remarks provoked criticism from political opponents who called him out‑of‑touch and renewed calls for a state inquiry commission into the Oct 7 massacre ahead of the upcoming elections.