Israel confirmed on Tuesday that an airstrike outside Beirut earlier this month killed a Hezbollah official who was expected to succeed the group’s longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a previous Israeli airstrike. The official, Hashem Safieddine, was killed alongside 25 other Hezbollah leaders in the strike. This comes as part of a series of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon that have targeted Hezbollah’s top leadership, leaving the group in disarray. Last week, Israel also killed the top leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, during a battle in Gaza.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a trip to Israel, urged leaders there to capitalize on the death of Sinwar as an opportunity to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages taken as part of a deadly Hamas attack. Blinken also stressed the need for Israel to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described his meeting with Blinken as “friendly and productive.” The Beirut suburb where Safieddine was killed was targeted by fresh airstrikes on Tuesday, with one strike leveling a building said to have housed Hezbollah facilities.
The airstrikes on Tuesday came shortly after Israel issued an evacuation warning for two buildings in the area used by Hezbollah. A Hezbollah press conference nearby was cut short, and an Associated Press photographer captured an image of a missile heading towards the building moments before it was destroyed. Hezbollah’s chief spokesman claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Netanyahu’s home in Caesarea over the weekend. Blinken’s visit to Israel occurred as Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets into central Israel, causing no apparent damage or injuries.
Lebanon’s hospitals fear being targeted by Israel, as an airstrike on Monday destroyed buildings near the country’s largest public hospital, killing 18 people and wounding at least 60 others. The Israeli military stated it targeted a Hezbollah site and denied hitting the hospital itself. Allegations by Israel that Hezbollah had hidden funds in hospital basements have raised concerns about further attacks. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported 63 people killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll from the conflict with Israel to 2,546 over the past year.
Blinken’s efforts to restart talks for a cease-fire in Gaza were highlighted during his meetings in Israel, where he emphasized the need for increased humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. The U.S. has been involved in brokering talks between Israel and Hamas to end the conflict, but negotiations broke down in August due to new demands from both sides. Israel launched a ground invasion into Lebanon to stop rocket attacks from Hezbollah following the start of the war in Gaza. The conflict between Israel, Hezbollah, and Hamas has led to tens of thousands of casualties on both sides and massive devastation in the region.
The U.S. has attempted to broker peace between Israel and Hezbollah, but tensions have escalated with Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah leaders. The violence has resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, with thousands of rockets fired into Israel by Hezbollah and significant damage caused by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza. The region remains embroiled in conflict as international efforts to reach a cease-fire continue. The situation underscores the complex dynamics and longstanding tensions between Israel, Hezbollah, and Hamas, with no immediate resolution in sight.
