File picture of Hezbollah official Sheikh Nabil Kaouk. | Photograph credit score: AP
The Israeli navy mentioned on Sunday (September 29, 2024) that it killed one other senior Hezbollah official in an airstrike because the Lebanese militant group reeled from a collection of devastating blows and the assassination of its common chief, Hassan Nasrallah. .
The navy mentioned Nabil Kaouk, deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council, was killed on Saturday (September 28, 2024). Hezbollah confirmed his loss of life, making him the seventh senior Hezbollah chief killed in Israeli strikes in simply over every week. They included founding members who had evaded loss of life or arrest for many years.
The Israeli navy mentioned it carried out one other focused assault in Beirut afterward Sunday (September 29, 2024), with extra particulars to come back.
Observe LIVE updates of the Israeli airstrike on Lebanon on September 29, 2024
Hezbollah had beforehand confirmed that Ali Karaki, one other senior commander, was killed within the Friday (September 27, 2024) assault that killed Nasrallah. The Israeli navy beforehand mentioned Karaki was killed within the airstrike, which focused an underground complicated in Beirut the place Nasrallah and different senior Hezbollah figures had been assembly.
Israel says not less than 20 different Hezbollah militants had been killed within the assault, together with two shut associates of Nasrallah, one in every of whom was in command of his safety group.
The stays of the strike had been nonetheless burning greater than two days later. On Sunday (September 29, 2024), Related Press Reporters noticed smoke rising from the rubble as folks flocked to the positioning, some to take a look at what remained of their houses and others to pay their respects, pray or just to view the destruction.
White Home nationwide safety spokesman John Kirby mentioned on Sunday (September 29, 2024) that Israel’s airstrikes had “eradicated” Hezbollah’s command construction, however warned that the group will work rapidly to rebuild it.
“I feel individuals are safer with out him strolling round,” Kirby mentioned of Nasrallah. “However they are going to attempt to get better. We’re watching what they do to attempt to fill this management void. It may be arduous. … A lot of their command construction has been eradicated.”
Mr. Kirby, who spoke throughout an look on cnnTrump’s “State of the Union” dodged questions on whether or not the Biden administration agrees with the best way the Israelis are attacking Hezbollah leaders. The White Home continues to name on Israel and Hezbollah to simply accept a short lived 21-day ceasefire that was proposed by america, France and different international locations final week when world leaders met for the UN Normal Meeting.
Earlier this month, Hezbollah was additionally the goal of a complicated assault on its pagers and walkie-talkies that was broadly blamed on Israel. A wave of Israeli airstrikes throughout a lot of Lebanon has killed not less than 1,030 folks (together with 156 girls and 87 kids) in lower than two weeks, in response to Lebanon’s Well being Ministry.
The most recent assaults have compelled tons of of hundreds of individuals to flee their houses in Lebanon. The federal government estimates that round 250,000 individuals are in shelters, and three to 4 occasions as many are staying with mates or household, or tenting on the streets, Surroundings Minister Nasser Yassin informed the information convention. AP.
Hezbollah has continued to fireside rockets and missiles into northern Israel, however most have been intercepted or landed in open areas. No Israelis have been killed for the reason that newest wave of assaults on Hezbollah’s high leaders started on September 20.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group and political social gathering backed by Iran, Israel’s important regional rival, rose to regional prominence after preventing a devastating month-long struggle with Israel in 2006 that led to a draw.
Kaouk was a veteran member of Hezbollah for the reason that Nineteen Eighties and served as Hezbollah’s navy commander in southern Lebanon in the course of the 2006 struggle with Israel. He usually appeared in native media, the place he commented on politics and safety developments, and delivered eulogies on the funerals of high-ranking militants. America introduced sanctions towards him in 2020.
Hezbollah started firing rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel after Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault from Gaza sparked the struggle there. Hezbollah and Hamas are allies that think about themselves a part of an Iran-backed “Axis of Resistance” towards Israel.
Israel has responded with waves of airstrikes and the battle has more and more moved to the brink of all-out struggle, elevating fears of a conflagration throughout the area.
Israel says it’s decided to return some 60,000 of its residents to northern communities that had been evacuated virtually a yr in the past. Hezbollah has mentioned it is going to solely cease its rocket fireplace if there’s a ceasefire in Gaza, which has confirmed elusive regardless of months of oblique negotiations between Israel and Hamas led by america, Qatar and Egypt.
Revealed – September 29, 2024 08:44 pm IST
