Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday thanked Israelis for their resilience and said that Iran is now weaker than ever. Netanyahu said that they still have objectives to complete.

"I want to thank you, our wonderful people. When you showed resilience as you sat in bomb shelters and safe rooms, we achieved great victories together. Our warriors on the front lines - and you on the home front. But above all, I ask to bow my head before our dear ones who fell in this battle," he said.

"I ask to embrace the bereaved families and, on behalf of all of you, to send wishes for a speedy recovery to our dear wounded. My brothers and sisters, the State of Israel has achieved tremendous victories, victories that until recently seemed utterly imaginary. Iran is weaker than ever, and Israel is stronger than ever," he added.

Netanyahu said he is ready to attain the objectives through agreement or by fighting. "That is the bottom line of this campaign, up to this moment. And I want to make clear: We still have objectives to complete - and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming the fighting," he said.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in Beirut.

In a post on X, the IDF said, "ELIMINATED: Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in Beirut. A close associate and personal advisor, Harshi played a key role in managing and securing Qassem's office. The IDF also struck two key crossings used by Hezbollah to move weapons south of the Litani River, along with ~10 weapons storage sites, launchers and command centers in southern Lebanon."

Benjamin Netanyahu said Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire deal between the US and Iran, as US Vice President JD Vance also said, "We never made that promise".

Published on April 9, 2026