The Israeli army announced on Sunday that the airstrike was responsible for the deaths of these people. Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah More than 20 additional members of the Lebanese armed group were also killed in Beirut earlier this week.
The army provided a list of some, saying “more than 20 other terrorists, of varying ranks, who were present in underground headquarters located beneath civilian buildings in Beirut, and were managing Hezbollah’s terrorist operations against the State of Israel.” , was also killed.” Of persons.
Here are the latest developments in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict:
Body of former Hezbollah leader Nasrallah recovered ‘intact’
The remains of Hezbollah leader Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah have been found at the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs. News agency Reuters reported that his body was recovered intact.
Israeli forces attacked several Hezbollah bunkers inside Lebanon on Friday, confirming the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a claim later verified by the Lebanese militant group.
While Hezbollah’s statement confirming Nasrallah’s death on Saturday did not specify how exactly he was killed nor when his funeral would take place, sources indicated that there were no signs of direct wounds on Nasrallah’s body. . They suggested that the probable cause of death was blunt trauma caused by the force of the explosion.
A statement issued by Hezbollah on Saturday said Nasrallah had “joined his fellow martyrs.” Hezbollah vowed to “continue the holy war against the enemy and in support of Palestine.”
The attack reportedly involved about 85 “bunker-buster” bombs, which were designed to penetrate deep underground before exploding. Bunker buster bombs, also known as ground penetrating munitions, are heavy weapons weighing 2,000 to 4,000 pounds. These bombs are designed to penetrate the earth or reinforced concrete structures.
Due to the high risk of civilian casualties, the use of bunker buster bombs is prohibited in areas with high population density under the Geneva Conventions.
Israel’s ‘precise’ attack
Nasrallah, who was at the helm of Hezbollah for more than three decades, is the most significant target to be eliminated by Israel during the recent heightened hostilities with the group. The Israeli military said it carried out a precision airstrike on Friday as Hezbollah’s leadership was meeting at their headquarters in Dahiyah, south of Beirut.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people were killed and 91 injured in the Beirut attacks, which leveled six apartment buildings.
Israel monitored Nasrallah for months
Israel knew of Nasrallah’s location for months before launching the deadly attack, new York Times Three Israeli officials have been quoted as saying. The decision to attack Nasrallah was made recently without informing the US. Jerusalem There was fear that the window of opportunity to eliminate him would be closed.
Hashem Saffiedine, a relative of Nasrallah and potential future leader, was not present at the bunker in Beirut that was targeted, according to three officials.
High-ranking Israeli Air Force officials reported Saturday that the operation was carried out flawlessly without any mistakes or hostile fire on their aircraft.
Speaking to reporters, the commanding officer of the Israeli Air Force’s 69th Squadron said, “Everything we planned was executed precisely, without any errors, both in intelligence, planning, planes and operations. Everything went smoothly.”
America supports Israel
US President Joe Biden referred to the Israeli airstrike that killed Hassan Nasrallah, calling it a “measure of justice” for their decades-long terror campaign.
The president explained that the operation against Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with the killing of Israelis by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Biden said, “The next day Nasrallah made the fateful decision to join forces with Hamas and open what he called the ‘Northern Front’ against Israel.”
Iran called UNSC meeting
In a letter addressed to the UN Security Council, Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeed Iravani called for an urgent meeting of the council’s 15 members to discuss Israel’s recent actions in Lebanon and the surrounding region, particularly that of Hezbollah leader Sayyid Hassan. In light of the murder. Nasrallah by Israeli forces.
The ambassador said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly warns against any attacks on its diplomatic premises and representatives in violation of the fundamental principle of inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and reiterates that it will not tolerate the repetition of such aggression.” Will not do.”
Furthermore, Iravani stressed Iran’s readiness to take all necessary measures to protect its vital national and security interests. “Iran will not hesitate to exercise its inherent rights under international law to take every step in defense of its vital national and security interests,” he wrote in his letter.
Israel vows to continue attacks on Hezbollah
Israel announced on Sunday it was carrying out new air strikes on several Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon following the killing of the Iran-backed group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The Israeli military said it had struck “dozens of terrorist targets in Lebanese territory in the past few hours,” focusing on weapons and military infrastructure facilities belonging to Hezbollah.
Since Saturday, the Israeli military claimed to have struck hundreds of Hezbollah targets across Lebanon with the aim of weakening the organization’s military capabilities and infrastructure.
Israel’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said that the assassination of Nasrallah was “not the end of our toolbox”.
