Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday to “calm down” following threatening statements by Nasrallah, Iran’s Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

“I heard what Nasrallah said,” Netanyahu said at a conference. “I suggest he calm down. He knows very well that Israel knows how to defend itself and to pay back its enemies. I say the same to Qassem Soleimani: Be careful with your words and even more cautious with your actions.”

The threatening statements against Israel were made following Israeli air strikes against Iranian military positions outside Damascus on Saturday night, which killed two Hezbollah terrorists. The strikes were carried out after intelligence revealed that Iran was intending to strike targets in northern Israel with “killer” drones.

“We will do everything to prevent attacks,” Nasrallah said on Sunday, promising to exact revenge from Israel. “The time when Israeli forces come and strike targets in Lebanon is over.”

The IDF began reducing traffic on roads near the Lebanese border and sending extra troops to the north on Tuesday as a precautionary measure in light of Hezbollah’s threats.

On Monday, Israel conveyed a message to Lebanon through the United States that an Israeli response to strikes in Israel will not be limited to Hezbollah and the entire country of Lebanon will be targeted.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)