Beit Shemesh [Israel], March 2 (ANI): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday visited the site of an Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, marking the third day of a massive joint military offensive against the Iranian regime.

Standing amidst the wreckage of the targeted civilian area, the 76-year-old leader framed the ongoing conflict as a global mission alongside the United States to neutralise a nuclear-capable Tehran.

While speaking to reporters here, Netanyahu stated, 'This is the third day of Operation Roaring Lion, the operation the Israeli army and the state of Israel set out to, with our great friends, the United States of America and President Trump, to thwart existential threats to Israel and great threats to America and the entire world.'

The Prime Minister's visit to the bombarded site was intended to highlight the contrasting military strategies of the two warring sides. He accused the Iranian leadership of deliberately targeting non-combatants, while maintaining that the joint forces were focused on the regime's infrastructure.

'When I stand here in a place that was bombarded by the terrorists in Tehran against innocent civilians, you see the difference. The tyrants of Tehran target civilians. We target the tyrants of Tehran to protect civilians,' he said.

Expanding on the scope of the threat, Netanyahu argued that the IRGC's regional aggression is merely a precursor to a wider campaign against Western powers, noting that the regime's rhetoric has always extended beyond the borders of Israel.

'I've said for many years that they threaten not only Israel but also America. They chant death to Israel, death to America. That's their ultimate target. But I said that they would also target those in between, that they would target Europe. They did,' the Prime Minister remarked.

Netanyahu warned that the current 'military offensive' was a necessary preventative measure to ensure that Iran's ballistic missile capabilities do not reach a point where they could threaten global humanity with nuclear payloads.

'And if this regime, this terrorist regime of the kind we've never seen in the world, if they get nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them, ballistic missiles, intercontinental ballistic missiles, they will threaten all of humanity,' he cautioned.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the Israeli-American alliance is serving a broader humanitarian purpose through Operation Roaring Lion.

'So we set out to protect ourselves, but in so doing, we protect many others. And I want to say special thanks to our great friend and a great leader of the world, Donald Trump, for joining us in this crucial effort to save the world,' Netanyahu added.

As this broader operation unfolds, the focus has also shifted to Iran's regional proxies. The Head of Intelligence Headquarters of Hezbollah, Hassan Maklad, has been eliminated in a precise strike in Beirut on Monday, according to the Israel Defence Forces.

The IDF in a post on its official handle on X wrote, 'The IDF now confirms that in a precise strike in Beirut tonight, the terrorist Hassan Maklad, who served as the head of the intelligence headquarters of the terror organisation Hezbollah, was eliminated. Additional details to follow.'

This targeted killing comes after the IDF conducted overnight retaliatory strikes on multiple Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, following which the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Monday said that the terror organisation is 'entering a fight it cannot win' as conflict in West Asia escalates.

In a video statement, IDF International Spokesperson Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said the Israeli military targeted several Hezbollah positions, including command and control centres, launch sites, and senior operatives.

'Overnight, the IDF carried out retaliatory strikes against several Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including command and control centres, launch sites, and senior terrorists. We were ready for this,' Shoshani said.

He stated that as part of Israel's preparations for its ongoing operation in Iran, the IDF had anticipated potential attacks from the Iran-backed group in Lebanon, enabling a swift response.

'As part of the preparations for our operation in Iran, the IDF prepared for an attack from Hezbollah, allowing us to carry out a swift response,' he added.

Shoshani further said that Israeli aircraft were simultaneously striking targets in Iran, including in the capital Tehran, and targeting what he described as underground bunkers belonging to the Iranian regime.

'As I am speaking right now, our aircraft are striking targets in Iran, including Tehran, such as underground bunkers of the terror regime. We are operating to eliminate any threats to our civilians and will continue doing so,' he said.

Warning Hezbollah against further escalation, Shoshani said, 'Hezbollah is entering a fight it cannot win.'

His remarks come amid escalating tensions in West Asia following US-Israel joint military strikes on Iran that led to the death of the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his family on Sunday.

Following the strikes, Iran launched a wave of attacks, using drones and missiles targeting multiple Arab countries in the region as a retaliatory action by the Islamic Republic.

Earlier, the Times of Israel reported, citing Lebanon's Health Ministry, that at least 31 people were killed and 149 others injured in overnight strikes carried out by the IDF across southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern Dahiyeh district.

According to the Times of Israel, the areas are known for being Hezbollah strongholds; however, the ministry's figures do not distinguish between civilians and members of Hezbollah among the casualties.

This came against the backdrop of coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure.

These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities.

US President Donald Trump described the strikes as necessary to 'ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.'

In response, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike. (ANI)