Israeli politicians sharply directed their rhetoric towards Iran on Saturday evening, vowing that Tehran would “pay a price” for a drone attack by Hezbollah, Iran’s Lebanese ally, which targeted the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This comes as Iran sought to downplay its connection to what Netanyahu’s office has described as an assassination attempt.
The attack involved three drones launched from Lebanon on Saturday morning, targeting Netanyahu’s private home. Two were intercepted near Rosh Hanikra and Nahariya, while the third exploded in Caesarea, a coastal town known for its luxury homes and Roman ruins. Neither the prime minister nor his wife was present at the time.
Axios reported that the drone hit Netanyahu’s residence, marking the first direct attack on a target associated with the prime minister since the war began. The Guardian also confirmed the hit, stating the house sustained only minor damage. Reports from Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, mentioned that property tax officials and a gardener had visited Netanyahu’s home following the incident.
Netanyahu condemns ‘agents of Iran’
Netanyahu responded to the attack in a follow-up statement, condemning the “agents of Iran” behind the assassination attempt and labeling it a “bitter mistake.” His comments were echoed by Israeli government officials, opposition leaders, and international allies, all of whom issued warnings that Iran would regret Hezbollah’s actions.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized that the attack was essentially against “the State of Israel and its government symbols” and touted Israel’s successes in weakening both Hamas and Hezbollah. Gallant reaffirmed that Israel’s security forces would continue to target any terrorist threats and ensure that enemies attempting to harm Israel would be met with decisive force.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana described the drone attack as a “big mistake” on Iran’s part, distinguishing it from Israel’s efforts to eliminate terrorist leaders, including figures from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Ohana stressed that Israel, as a democratic, sovereign nation, would not tolerate the targeting of its prime minister and warned that Hezbollah and Iran would pay a significant price for their actions. He added, in a pointed remark, that after Iran faces the consequences, “they’ll regret ever learning to fly even a paper plane, let alone a drone.”
