Netanyahu Confirms Hezbollah Leader’s Successor Killed \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that Israel has killed the successor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who died recently in Israeli airstrikes. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s acting leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, pledged continued resistance, asserting the group’s military strength remains intact. Palestinian militants in Gaza also fired rockets at Israel, marking the anniversary of Hamas’ 2023 attack, underscoring the ongoing escalation of violence across the region.
Israel’s Hezbollah Targeting: Quick Looks
- Prime Minister Netanyahu confirms Israel killed Nasrallah’s successor, signaling continued strikes against Hezbollah.
- Hezbollah’s acting leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, vows to maintain the fight, replacing fallen commanders.
- Israeli forces dismantle a Hezbollah tunnel, intensifying operations in southern Lebanon.
- Rockets fired from Gaza on the anniversary of Hamas’ attack highlight continued resistance amid heavy losses.
- The UN warns the Middle East is on the brink of all-out war, urging a ceasefire.
Deep Look:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that Israel has successfully killed the successor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in recent Israeli airstrikes. Netanyahu did not name the new Hezbollah leader who was targeted, but his statement highlighted Israel’s ongoing military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, a country ravaged by repeated airstrikes in recent weeks.
In a televised address to the people of Lebanon, Netanyahu declared that Israel had severely damaged Hezbollah’s leadership structure, claiming the deaths of Nasrallah, his successor, and several other key figures. “We have degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities,” Netanyahu said, asserting that Israel’s military actions were delivering significant blows to the militant group.
Nasrallah’s Death and Hezbollah’s Leadership Response
Hezbollah’s overall leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and several of his top commanders were killed during a series of Israeli strikes across Lebanon in recent weeks. Nasrallah’s death marks a critical development in the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict, as he had been a dominant figure in the organization for decades. His death, confirmed by Israeli sources, occurred in a bunker in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, following heavy bombardments.
In response, Sheikh Naim Kassem, Hezbollah’s acting leader, delivered a defiant televised statement earlier Tuesday, asserting that the group had quickly replaced all of its fallen commanders. Kassem assured supporters that Hezbollah’s military strength remained intact and that their leadership had already chosen Nasrallah’s successor. However, he added that circumstances surrounding the ongoing war were complicating the formal announcement of a new leader.
The presumed successor to Nasrallah, Hashem Safieddine, who is also a cousin of the former leader, had been regarded as Nasrallah’s heir apparent. Safieddine, who oversees Hezbollah’s political affairs, has not appeared publicly since Nasrallah’s death, raising questions about the state of Hezbollah’s command structure.
Israeli Forces Dismantle Hezbollah Tunnel in Lebanon
Alongside the leadership targeting, the Israeli army announced that it had dismantled a Hezbollah tunnel crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Israeli officials claim that the tunnel, which extended a few meters into Israel, had been discovered months earlier but was only destroyed during the recent ground operations launched by Israel. Footage released by the Israeli military showed evidence of Hezbollah weapons and anti-tank missiles found within the tunnel.
The dismantling of the tunnel reflects the escalating nature of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has intensified since October 2023. Both sides have exchanged fire across the Israeli-Lebanese border, and Hezbollah has continued its rocket attacks into northern Israel.
Continued Rocket Fire from Gaza on Hamas Attack Anniversary
As the violence in Lebanon escalates, Palestinian militants in Gaza launched a barrage of rockets into Israel on Monday, marking the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack. Despite heavy Israeli bombardments and a year-long war that has devastated Gaza, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 42,000 Palestinians, militants continue to show resilience. Local medical officials report that the death toll in Gaza has been catastrophic, yet Palestinian militants remain defiant in the face of Israel’s military superiority.
A year ago, Hamas-led militants breached Israel’s security defenses, killing over 1,200 civilians and abducting 250 people. Of the captives taken during the 2023 attack, approximately 100 remain inside Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, and its broader conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, shows no sign of abating.
UN Secretary-General Calls Middle East a ‘Powder Keg’
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a stark warning about the escalating situation in the Middle East, describing the region as a “powder keg” on the brink of full-scale war. Guterres expressed deep concern over the rising death toll in Lebanon, which now surpasses that of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, and described Gaza as being in a “death spiral.”
Guterres emphasized that every rocket fired, missile launched, and airstrike carried out only further distances the region from peace, making the humanitarian crisis worse for millions of civilians caught in the crossfire. He reiterated calls for an immediate cease-fire, the release of all hostages, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need. The U.N. chief also criticized potential Israeli legislation that could prevent the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from continuing its vital work in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
Escalation in Lebanon and Rising Death Toll
Lebanon has seen heavy bombardment in the last 24 hours, with reports indicating that at least 36 people were killed and 150 wounded, according to Lebanese officials. Over the past year, more than 2,100 people have been killed in Lebanon, and over 10,000 have been wounded, as Israeli strikes continue to target Hezbollah positions. The fighting has displaced over 1 million Lebanese, and humanitarian groups warn that the situation is rapidly deteriorating.
Israeli schools near the city of Haifa have been closed due to Hezbollah rocket attacks. As of Tuesday, Hezbollah has fired at least 170 rockets into northern Israel, with most intercepted by Israeli defense systems. The Israeli military has responded by launching airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds in the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, further intensifying the conflict.
Ongoing Military Operations and Displacement
Israeli ground operations in Lebanon have widened in recent days. The Israeli military confirmed that a reserve division had begun limited operations in southwestern Lebanon, marking the first time reserve troops have been deployed since ground operations began. These actions follow Israel’s warnings for residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate, as Israeli forces target Hezbollah rocket launch sites and military infrastructure.
Hezbollah, in turn, has vowed to continue its rocket and missile attacks into Israel until there is a cease-fire in Gaza. Acting leader Sheikh Naim Kassem said that more Israeli civilians would be displaced as Hezbollah escalates its military operations. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, however, has pledged “total victory” over Hamas and Hezbollah, indicating that Israeli military actions will continue until both groups are decisively defeated.
Conclusion
The escalating violence between Israel, Hezbollah, and Hamas shows no signs of abating. As Israeli forces target Hezbollah leadership and Palestinian militants in Gaza, the conflict threatens to engulf the entire region. Despite heavy losses, both Hezbollah and Hamas continue to launch attacks on Israel, with Hezbollah’s acting leader insisting that the group’s military capabilities remain intact. Meanwhile, international calls for a cease-fire grow louder, as the humanitarian toll on civilians in Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel mounts.
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