Hezbollah officially claimed responsibility for the drone attack on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea, and warned of future strikes. Speaking at a press conference in Beirut on Tuesday, Hezbollah media chief Mohammed Afif took “full, complete, and exclusive responsibility” for the attack, stating that it was only the beginning. “If we did not reach you this time, we will reach you the next time,” Afif warned, emphasizing that no ceasefire negotiations would take place while fighting persisted.

The attempted assassination involved three drones, with one reportedly hitting the residence, though Netanyahu and his wife were not home at the time. Netanyahu quickly responded, blaming Iran, Hezbollah’s chief backer, for the attack. “The attempt by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah to assassinate me and my wife today was a grave mistake,” he said, vowing that Israel’s military efforts would continue without hesitation. Netanyahu’s warnings included a direct message to Iran and its proxies: “Anyone who tries to harm Israel’s citizens will pay a heavy price.”

Security measures for Israeli officials have been heightened in the wake of the incident. Hezbollah’s comments appeared aimed at deflecting blame away from Iran while asserting its own responsibility for the strike.

Hezbollah has been launching near-daily attacks on northern Israel since Hamas initiated its war with Israel last month. The ongoing assaults from southern Lebanon have forced 70,000 Israelis to evacuate their homes in the north, prompting Israel to intensify its military response in recent weeks. The IDF stated that Hezbollah’s military capacity has been severely diminished, with less than 30% of its firepower remaining. Since Israel’s ground operation began in southern Lebanon, approximately 1,200 Hezbollah fighters have reportedly been killed.

In a new development, Hezbollah acknowledged that Israel had captured some of its fighters. While the group denied capturing any Israeli soldiers, Afif hinted that such a scenario could happen soon, saying, “It won’t take long before we have captives from the enemy.”

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