Netanyahu says Hezbollah will 'pay heavy price' as Israel steps up strikes

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Thursday that Hezbollah would "pay a heavy price for its aggression."

Speaking at his first press conference after nearly two weeks of the war with Iran, Netanyahu said the Iran-aligned armed group and political party was already feeling "the force of our blows, and it will feel them even more strongly."

His remarks came as Israel pounded Beirut and southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fired dozens of projectiles toward northern Israel amid the conflict with Iran.

During his speech, warning sirens sounded across central Israel, alerting to a missile attack from Iran.

Netanyahu said Iran was suffering "crushing blows" from Israeli strikes, adding that the goals of the operation were to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, among others.

On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East.