Hezbollah militants launched an attack on Israeli soldiers near the Lebanese border village of Labbouneh on Wednesday, using artillery shells and rockets, the group said in a statement. This came just a day after Israel announced it had killed two of Hezbollah’s key successors to their former leader.
The Israeli military reported that sirens had been triggered in northern Israel on Wednesday, and that three Israeli soldiers had been severely injured in combat in southern Lebanon over the past two days.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israeli airstrikes had eliminated two key successors to Hezbollah’s former leader, Hassan Nasrallah. In a video released by his office, Netanyahu stated that Israel had “degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities” and killed thousands of its militants, including Nasrallah and his replacements. However, he did not specify the names of these two successors.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also mentioned that Hashem Safieddine, the man poised to succeed Nasrallah, was likely “eliminated” in the strikes. However, Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari noted that Safieddine’s status was still under review after an airstrike hit Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters last week, and his condition was still being assessed.
Safieddine has remained publicly silent since the airstrike, part of Israel’s intensifying military campaign following a year of border clashes with Hezbollah. The group, one of Iran’s most powerful proxy forces in the Middle East, has been actively supporting Palestinian militants in Gaza during their ongoing conflict with Israel.
Netanyahu emphasized Hezbollah’s weakening state, saying, “Today, Hezbollah is weaker than it has been for many, many years.”
The Israeli military reported on Tuesday that recent airstrikes in southern Lebanon, particularly targeting underground Hezbollah facilities, had resulted in the deaths of at least 50 fighters, including six regional commanders.
The escalation in regional tensions, which began a year ago following a Hamas attack on southern Israel from Gaza, has intensified in recent weeks, drawing Lebanon deeper into the conflict.
Earlier, on October 1, Iran, a key backer of both Hezbollah and Hamas, fired missiles at Israel. On Tuesday, Iran issued a warning to Israel, cautioning against retaliatory strikes and vowing a strong response if Israel targeted Iranian infrastructure. Tehran also warned Gulf states that allowing their airspace to be used for attacks on Iran would be met with consequences.
In light of these developments, U.S. President Joe Biden was expected to speak with Netanyahu on Wednesday, according to a report by Axios. The call was aimed at discussing Israel’s plans regarding Iran, with U.S. officials reportedly working to ensure that any Israeli response would target significant sites in Iran without being disproportionate.
As Western powers seek a diplomatic solution, there are growing concerns that the conflict could destabilize the broader oil-producing Middle East and potentially draw in the United States.
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