Israel’s ‘Iron Fist’ Air Force can strike its enemies’ ‘soft underbelly,’ Netanyahu warns
PM tours northern Air Force base, meets with northern Israel's local leaders
Amid ongoing tensions on Israel’s northern border with Hezbollah and the looming attack that Iran has promised to carry out against Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a warning message to the country’s enemies.
Visiting the Ramat David Air Force Base in northern Israel on Wednesday, Netanyahu said: “The Air Force is our iron fist which knows how to hit the soft underbelly of our enemies. The ground crews, pilots and commanders here are doing heroic work. They have proven this time and again and if we need to – we will prove it again even more vigorously.”
Accompanied by his chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, IDF military secretary, Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofma, and his newly appointed spokesman, Dr. Omer Dostri, Netanyahu said he visited the base to inspect the preparations “to meet threats from near and far.”
“We are prepared for any scenario, both offensively and defensively,” he stressed. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said Netanyahu received a comprehensive briefing on the readiness of the Air Force (IAF) in all sectors, “but especially the north.”
The most recent escalation cycle in the northern sector began three days ago when a Hezbollah drone killed an IDF soldier and wounded several more. In response, the IAF carried out several airstrikes on Hezbollah’s strategic weapons caches in the Bekaa Valley, deep within Lebanese territory.
The IDF also eliminated a senior Palestinian terrorist affiliated with the Fatah party who was involved in smuggling weapons from Lebanon into Judea and Samaria, with the help of Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
During his visit to Ramat David, Netanyahu viewed “an exhibition of combat systems at the base, including attack helicopters and jets,” the PMO stated.
“He was also shown the offensive capabilities of the various systems as well as their importance in carrying out the Air Force's many defensive and offensive missions against both near and distant threats.”
“The Prime Minister met with air crews, operators and technical crews, and with commanders. He commended their work and spoke with them about the importance of their roles in defending the country and in safeguarding Israel's security superiority against its enemies.”
On Thursday, Netanyahu met with Golan Regional Council Chairman Ori Kalner and the mayor of Katzrin, Yehuda Dua, after a 50-rocket-salvo slammed into the northern town and struck five homes in a direct hit.
A 30-year-old man was left in moderate condition after being hit by shrapnel when a rocket struck his home, while another individual was treated for shock.
“This is our reality here in Katzrin, this situation is simply not acceptable to us,” Kalner said after the strikes. “The Israeli government must stop this.”
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The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
