In a significant escalation of hostilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that Israeli airstrikes have killed two successors to Hezbollah’s slain leader. The announcement comes as Israel expands its ground offensive in southern Lebanon, deploying a fourth army division against the Iran-backed group.
Speaking in a video released by his office, Netanyahu stated, “We’ve degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities. We took out thousands of terrorists, including Hassan Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah’s replacement, and the replacement of the replacement.” While Netanyahu did not name the latter two, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant indicated that Hashem Safieddine, the man expected to succeed Nasrallah, had probably been “eliminated.”
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari added that Safieddine was known to be in Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters when it was bombed last week. “Safieddine’s status is being checked, and when we know, we will inform the public,” Hagari said. Safieddine has not made any public statements since the airstrike, which was part of an intensified Israeli offensive following a year of border clashes with Hezbollah.
“Today, Hezbollah is weaker than it has been for many, many years,” Netanyahu asserted. Hezbollah has not yet commented on the Israeli claims.
Over the past 24 hours, the Israeli military reported heavy airstrikes targeting underground Hezbollah installations in southern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least 50 fighters, including six sector commanders and regional officials.
UN Chief Warns of All-Out War in Lebanon
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Tuesday that Lebanon is “on the verge of an all-out war,” urging all parties to step back from the brink. “The Middle East is a powder keg with many parties holding the match,” Guterres said at a press briefing in New York.
Guterres expressed concern over the escalating exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon and the Israel Defense Forces, noting that it disregards Security Council resolutions 1701 and 1559. He highlighted that large-scale Israeli strikes deep into Lebanon, including Beirut, have resulted in over 2,000 deaths in the past year, with 1,500 occurring in the last two weeks alone. Attacks by Hezbollah and others south of the Blue Line have claimed at least 49 lives over the last year.
“We are on the verge of an all-out war in Lebanon, with already devastating consequences. But there is still time to stop,” Guterres emphasized, calling for the respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
China to Provide Emergency Humanitarian Aid to Lebanon
In response to the escalating crisis, China announced on Tuesday that it will provide emergency humanitarian medical supplies to Lebanon upon the request of the Lebanese government. A spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) stated that the recent escalation in Lebanon and Israel has led to numerous casualties due to explosions and airstrikes across Lebanon.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
