Netanyahu Tells Lebanese: Join Israel to Dismantle Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday issued a video statement directed at the Lebanese people, urging them to side with Israel against Hezbollah. He called the militant group a "hostage"-taker of their country.

"Israel is not at war with you. We are at war with Hezbollah, that has taken your country hostage," Netanyahu said in the video. He added that once Hezbollah is dismantled, "the possibilities are endless."

The appeal is an attempt to drive a wedge between Hezbollah and the broader Lebanese public at a time when Israel's military is actively striking Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. Lebanese political factions have historically rallied around Hezbollah during confrontations with Israel. The country is also mired in an economic crisis and political paralysis that has left the government weak.

Netanyahu's call may find little traction among a population exhausted by years of hardship. Even a small fracture in public support could complicate Hezbollah's operational freedom. That outcome is uncertain.

The conflict has already added a risk premium to assets sensitive to Middle East tensions. Oil prices have been volatile, with Brent crude moving on each escalation. Gold and the dollar have seen intermittent safe-haven flows. The trajectory of those moves will depend on whether the fighting widens.

No public response has come from Beirut or from Hezbollah's leadership as of Wednesday evening. The next concrete marker is any statement from Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati or from Hezbollah's senior commanders. Until then, the market reaction is likely to remain tied to battlefield headlines rather than political messaging.