Netanyahu Vows to Hit Hezbollah 'Mercilessly' in Lebanon as UN Forces Refuse to Leave

JERUSALEM, Israel – As the Israel Defense Forces operate inside Lebanon, they are finding more and more proof that Hezbollah was in the planning and preparation stages of an October 7th-type massacre. United Nations UNIFIL forces refuse to evacuate the area, even as they complain about Israeli actions there.

The IDF made a public display of a Hezbollah underground command center set up to launch a surprise attack on Israel by the terror group's most elite fighters, the Radwan Unit.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari explained Hezbollah's goal. "Do a raid into Israel and do a larger scale of massacre than the 7th of October.  They were planning with the motorcycles here to go to Kiryat Shmona, to Yiftah, to villages and positions inside Israel and conduct a massacre." 

The command center is located under a Lebanese house a little more than a mile from the border with Israel. The bunker and tunnel system was loaded with weapons of war and facilities where Hezbollah terror squads could either launch out or hunker down, which they were apparently doing very recently.

At the bunker, Hagari stated, "They were only here a couple of days ago in those beds with those weapons here."

In northern Israel, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu all came to visit the site of Sunday's deadly drone attack by Hezbollah on a military base.

Netanyahu promised the brutal assault that killed four soldiers and wounded more than 60 wouldn't deter Israel from pounding Hezbollah with force.

"I want to make it clear: we will continue to hit Hezbollah mercilessly in all parts of Lebanon – also in Beirut." 

The funeral for Sgt. Amitai Alon, one of the four soldiers killed, was held Monday. His mother Hagid wept next to her son's coffin. 

She told those gathered, "I feel that our heart was ripped out." 

Israel is anticipating the activation of the U.S. anti-missile battery known as THAAD. It launches missiles to intercept incoming missiles, and the system will be accompanied by nearly one hundred soldiers who will man it. 

That act brought a warning from Iran that there would be consequences for putting American boots on the ground in Israel.

Iran has cut off all talks and indirect negotiations with the U.S. as the Islamic regime prepares for what may soon be a sustained conflict with Israel, America's closest ally.

Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi declared, "We do not want war, although we are fully prepared for it."

As Israel considers its retaliatory strike against Iran, Jerusalem reportedly has promised the U.S. that it won't hit any nuclear or oil production facilities.

Officials tell The Wall Street Journal the strike will likely hit military and intelligence targets. It's expected to take place before the November 5th U.S. elections.

European Union nations are protesting the Israeli military's wounding of some of the UNIFIL troops across Israel's border.

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, Dutch Foreign Minister cautioned, "I have expressed that this is unacceptable, and it should stop and it should be investigated as soon as possible."

Netanyahu responded, "The charge that Israel deliberately attacked UNIFIL personnel is completely false. It's exactly the opposite. Israel repeatedly asked UNIFIL to get out of harm’s way."

The prime minister blames Hezbollah for deliberately firing missiles near UNIFIL facilities.

He insisted, "Hezbollah uses UNIFIL facilities and positions as cover while it attacks Israeli cities and communities."

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