The Israeli military recently announced the killing of Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council, adding to a string of devastating blows against the Lebanese militant group. This death marked the seventh senior Hezbollah leader assassinated by Israeli strikes in a little over a week. The strikes have targeted key figures within Hezbollah, including founding members who had evaded death or detention for decades. The Israeli military also carried out other targeted strikes in Beirut, killing more Hezbollah militants, including close associates of Nasrallah.
In addition to the targeted strikes, Hezbollah has faced sophisticated attacks on its communication systems, such as pagers and walkie-talkies. The group has been rocked by a wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of over 1,000 people, including women and children. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, with many seeking shelter in Lebanon’s overcrowded shelters or crossing into Syria to escape the bombardment.
Hezbollah has been responding to the Israeli airstrikes by firing rockets and missiles into northern Israel. However, most of these attacks have been intercepted or have landed in open areas without causing casualties. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has escalated following Hamas’ attack out of Gaza, leading to fears of a region-wide conflagration. Israel aims to return its citizens to the northern communities that were evacuated a year ago, while Hezbollah demands a cease-fire in Gaza as a condition to halt its rocket fire.
In Syria, the United States military targeted militants affiliated with the Islamic State group and an al-Qaeda-linked group in airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of senior militants responsible for overseeing military operations. The U.S. forces in Syria are focused on preventing the resurgence of extremist groups like ISIS, which poses a threat to U.S. interests and allies in the region. Israel also conducted airstrikes in Yemen against Houthi targets, retaliating after the rebels launched missile attacks on Israel.
In the Gaza Strip, an Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering displaced people resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals. The Israeli military claimed that the school was used as a command-and-control center by Hamas militants, who were targeted in the strike. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has displaced a significant portion of the population, with many living in schools turned into shelters or tent camps. Iran’s Vice-President Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed condolences to Hezbollah and stated that Iran’s response to Israel’s strikes in Lebanon will be decided by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the appropriate time.
