Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued new threats at a press conference Wednesday night following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya and Hezbollah’s top military commander Fuad Sukur.

“From the beginning of the war, I made it clear that we are fighting Iran’s evil axis”he said.

“We will not remain silent. We will make whoever is against us pay a very heavy price. We are ready for any scenario. I will not back down”Netanyahu said, escalating the already explosive situation in the region and warning citizens that hard days are coming and be patient.

Netanyahu claimed he wanted to show his appreciation to the Israel Defense Forces for killing Hezbollah’s top military commander Fuad Soukourwhom he described as “one of the most wanted terrorists in the world.”

Sukkur was “a key factor in the connection between Iran and Hezbollah,” stated and emphasized that it was “the chief responsible for the massacre” of 12 children and teenagers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Israeli leader said he visited the village of Majdal Shams, where the rocket attack took place, and that “he saw the grief of families whose worlds have been destroyed.”

At the same time, the Israeli leader states that there has been none “a week that I have not been told inside the country but also outside” to end the war. But, he adds: “I did not yield to these voices then, nor will I yield to them today. If we had given in to these pressures, we would not have taken these Hamas leaders out of the way.”

Netanyahu also said Israel had dealt crushing blows to Iran’s proxies in recent days, including Hamas and Hezbollah, but made no mention of Haniya’s killing.