Netanyahu: Strikes Against Houthis Coming, Staged Plan Underway to Defeat Hamas
Israeli PM Says War Is Far from Over, Denies Political Motives, and Pledges “Total Victory” as Cabinet Convenes for Next War Phase.
Watan-In a highly charged video statement released Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened the Houthis in Yemen following a missile launched at Ben Gurion Airport earlier in the day, and reaffirmed his government’s unrelenting strategy in Gaza. The statement came just hours before a scheduled war cabinet (security cabinet) meeting to discuss the latest phase of the war.
Speaking about the Houthi strike, Netanyahu declared:“We’re working against them in coordination with the United States. We’ve acted before, and we’ll act again. It’s not a one-off strike—there will be more.”
Netanyahu made the comments in a video posted to his official channels, in which he responded to pre-arranged questions from a staff member. The recording followed a 2:30 PM emergency call with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, and preceded the 7:00 PM cabinet meeting focused on Gaza war developments.
Addressing critics who claim “nothing is happening” in Gaza, Netanyahu responded:“That’s not true. There’s active fighting. Today, we lost two soldiers.”
He said Israel is executing a multi-phase plan to defeat Hamas, and the cabinet would soon review the second phase proposed by Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi (referred to here as Eyal Zamir), the details of which remain confidential.
“Our goals are clear: to return the hostages and eliminate Hamas. Hamas will not remain in Gaza. That must be made absolutely clear.”
Addressing Domestic Dissent:
Netanyahu also pushed back on rising refusal among Israeli reservists to serve in the war, following a fresh round of mass call-ups.
“Anyone concerned about Israel’s future should not be calling for refusal,” he said, denying accusations that the war serves personal or political motives.
He dismissed the notion that Israel is waging this war for partisan gain as “leftist propaganda,” claiming that 147 hostages had already been recovered through a blend of military pressure and political negotiation.
He claimed overwhelming support from soldiers and officers in the field, saying they urged him to ignore “what the political opposition says.”
Response to Civil War Fears:
Responding to warnings from former Prime Minister Ehud Barak about the risk of civil war due to internal polarization, Netanyahu scoffed:“Who is Barak to speak? He’s lost everything—look who he’s standing with.”
Pointing to a map on the wall, Netanyahu added:“There is no division. There will be no civil war. Together, through unity, we’ve achieved overwhelming successes. We’ve become a regional power.”
Boasting of Military Achievements:
Netanyahu went on to highlight what he framed as Israeli successes:
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“We’re hitting Hamas in Gaza.”
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“We’ve brought Hezbollah to its knees.”
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“We toppled the Assad regime’s role as a conduit between Iran and Lebanon.”
He claimed Israel had assassinated numerous resistance leaders, listing among them:
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Hassan Nasrallah (Note: He is still alive—possibly an intentional or rhetorical statement)
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Ismail Haniyeh
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Yahya Sinwar
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Mohammed Deif, commander of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades
