Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, declared on Friday at the U.N. that Israel will persist in its struggle against Hezbollah and emphasized his commitment to recovering all hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 from the Gaza Strip.

In a passionate speech to the U.N. General Assembly, Netanyahu insisted that dismantling the militant group along with its Iranian-backed ally Hezbollah in Lebanon is crucial to achieving that goal.

He also addressed what he referred to as the “tyrants of Tehran,” stating, “If you attack us, we will retaliate.”

This address follows calls from the international community for Netanyahu to consider a U.S.-backed cease-fire plan regarding Hezbollah in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been targeting Hezbollah leaders. Recently, Israel indicated it might be preparing for a ground offensive to eliminate Hezbollah’s missile-launching sites and tunnels in Lebanon.

The Pentagon announced on Monday that it is increasing its military presence in the Middle East due to escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

Since the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 251, Hezbollah has fired thousands of missiles into northern Israel. The group claims to be supporting Hamas, causing around 60,000 Israelis near the Lebanon border to flee to safety in the south.

Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in intense airstrikes and rocket exchanges over the past week, marking the highest level of hostility since the surprise Hamas attack increased regional tensions.

Israeli airstrikes have resulted in over 800 fatalities in Lebanon since Monday.

However, Netanyahu did not mention the proposed cease-fire for Lebanon in his speech, which suggests halting combat for 21 days and has support from the U.S., European Union, and several other countries.

Instead, he criticized Iran, framing the longstanding conflict with Israel as a “struggle between good and evil,” while also confronting those who criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza. He claimed that since last year’s Hamas attacks, Israel’s Defense Forces have either killed or captured “more than half” of Hamas’ fighters.

“We will continue our efforts,” Netanyahu affirmed. “We are prevailing.”

During his speech, a number of leaders walked out in protest.

Prior to Netanyahu’s address, thousands protested at the U.N. headquarters and throughout New York, leading to multiple arrests, media reports indicated.

Netanyahu often uses speeches abroad to spotlight Iran, which Israel and many Western allies believe is a key source of instability in the Middle East. In addition to funding groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran provides support to other allied militant organizations in Yemen and Iraq.

Returning the hostages is a top priority for Netanyahu, though some of his critics do not trust his intentions.

‘Feelings of Anger and Frustration’

Nimrod Novik, a former foreign policy adviser to ex-Prime Minister Shimon Peres, expressed that during Netanyahu’s speech, he envisioned the “anger and frustration” that families of hostages must feel as they urge Netanyahu to negotiate a cease-fire and a hostage deal with Hamas.

Netanyahu did not address this possibility.

Novik described Netanyahu’s tone as one focused on “continuing the conflict in the south, extending it in the north, and possibly igniting tensions in the West Bank that could escalate into regional conflict.”

He suggested that senior officials in the White House might be “perplexed” by the implications of Netanyahu’s words and future actions.