A woman reads the Quran at the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Sunday.
Hassan Ammar/AP
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Hassan Ammar/AP
The Israeli military said it carried out “dozens” of additional attacks on Hezbollah targets early Sunday, as reports emerged that two other senior Hezbollah commanders were assassinated following the assassination attempt. assassinated militant group leader Hassan Nasrallah in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
In a statement, the IDF said it had removed Nabil Kaouk, head of Hezbollah’s preventive security council.
Hezbollah did not comment on Kaouk’s whereabouts but separately confirmed the death of another senior commander, Ali Karaki.
According to the Lebanese National News Agency, at least 11 people were killed in the latest strikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has returned to Israel earlier than expected after a trip to the United Nations as Israel is said to be preparing for an invasion of southern Lebanon after reserve forces were called up. northern Israel.
In a statement on the messaging app Telegram, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its air force had targeted “buildings where the organization’s weapons and military installations are stored.” .
The IDF said it had struck hundreds of Hezbollah targets since Saturday, targeting Dahieh, a populous southern suburb of Beirut and a Hezbollah stronghold.
“The IDF continues to attack with force, causing damage and reducing the military capabilities and infrastructure of Hezbollah in Lebanon,” the Israeli military said in a post on X.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, Israeli attacks killed another 33 people on Saturday, and injured 195 more.
Meanwhile, the IDF also said it intercepted eight projectiles launched from Lebanon into Israel on Sunday, hitting open areas near Tiberias in northern Israel.
The latest firefights, combined with Israel’s preparations to invade southern Lebanon, have raised fears that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is heading towards an all-out war.
of Israel kill NasrallahIn particular, it represents another dramatic new development for a conflict that has spread across the Middle East region since last October.
In a statement Saturday, Netanyahu supported the move, calling it necessary to “change the balance of power in the region for years to come.”
“Nasrallah is not a terrorist; he is a terrorist,” Netanyahu said in a statement, warning of challenging days ahead.
World leaders continue to call for a ceasefire
Even as Israeli forces prepare to respond to retaliatory attacks from Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Information Minister said on Sunday that ceasefire negotiations with Israel are “ongoing” even as Cross-border gun battles continue.
The United States, France, Britain and other allies have called for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, even as any such agreement looks increasingly unlikely.
President Joe Biden: “It’s time for a ceasefire” told reporters on Saturday as he left a church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
However, when asked about Nasrallah’s killing, Biden said the longtime Hezbollah leader’s death was a “measure of justice” for the victims of his four-decade “reign of terror.”
In a separate statement, Biden noted that the operation to kill Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the Hamas attack against Israel on October 7, 2023.
“The next day, Nasrallah made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a ‘northern front’ against Israel,” Biden said in a statement.
On Saturday, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy reiterated his call for a ceasefire, saying in a post on X that he spoke with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
“We agree on the need for an immediate ceasefire to end the bloodshed,” Lammy said. “A diplomatic solution is the only way to restore security and stability to the people of Lebanon and Israel.”
Mikati told reporters on Sunday that he “welcomed” the ceasefire, adding that if a ceasefire were to happen, it would need to apply to both Gaza and Lebanon.
