Israel is “looking into” the fate of the alleged successor of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister Yoav Gallant have both suggested Hashem Safieddine, the man expected to replace Nasrallah, has been killed.
“We’ve degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities,” Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video message. “We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah’s replacement, and the replacement of the replacement.”
Safieddine, a top Hezbollah official, has not been heard from publicly since an Israeli airstrike late last week. He has been a prime target for Israel, having been nurtured for years as an influential leader and potential heir to Nasrallah.
But contradicting Netanyahu, an Israeli military spokesperson said the death of Safieddine was unconfirmed as Hezbollah was “trying to hide the details”.
“We struck Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Beirut. We know that Hashem Safieddine was there,” the spokesperson said late last night.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah fired another barrage of rockets into Israel as the Iran-backed group’s acting leader vowed to keep up the pressure on Netanyahu. Dozens of rockets fired by Hezbollah were aimed as far south as Haifa.
The Israeli government has warned residents north of the coastal city to limit activities, prompting the closure of more schools.
Comment: It’s time to get tough on Iran – and help the people overthrow their despotic leaders
In pics: Smoke rises over Beirut airport as Israel strikes Dahieh
Iraqi militant group claims drone attack on Israel
The Iraqi wing of the Islamic Resistance has claimed responsibility for a drone attack on southern Israel.
The group claimed the kamikaze drones were fired “in solidarity with the people of Palestine and Lebanon” as it pledged to continue targeting “the enemy’s strongholds”, in a reference to Israel.
The Israeli military last night said it intercepted a drone “launched from the east”, referring to Iraq.
The military said no air raid sirens were activated before the interception “in accordance with protocol”.
Hezbollah steps up rocket fire
Hezbollah fired another barrage of rockets into Israel and the militant group’s acting leader vowed to keep up the pressure that has forced tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes near the Lebanese border.
Dozens of rockets fired by Hezbollah were aimed as far south as Haifa, and the Israeli government warned residents north of the coastal city to limit activities, prompting the closure of more schools.
The Israeli military said Hezbollah launched about 180 rockets across the border.
The Israeli military said it sent more ground troops into southern Lebanon and that a senior Hezbollah commander was killed in an airstrike.
Fate of Nasrallah’s alleged successor unknown, says Israel military
The fate of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s successor was unknown, said an Israeli military spokesperson, contradicting prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement.
Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said Israel was still checking the status of Hashem Safieddine, the man expected to replace Nasrallah, and accused Hezbollah of trying to hide details of a recent strike in Beirut on a location where he was believed to have been.
“When we know, we will update the public,” he said late last night.
In a statement addressed to the people of Lebanon, Netanyahu called Hezbollah “weaker than it has been for many, many years.”
He added: “We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself, and Nasrallah’s replacement, and the replacement of his replacement”, without naming them.
On the ground: Gaza hostage families blast air raid siren outside Netanyahu’s home as wake up call to agree release deal
Biden and Netanyahu to speak today about Iran retaliation
US president Joe Biden will call Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu today to discuss any plans to strike Iran, according to a report.
“We want to use the call to try and shape the limitations of the Israeli retaliation,” a US official was quoted as saying by Axios.
The website cited three US officials as saying that Washington wants to make sure Israel attacks targets in Iran that are significant without being disproportionate.
Mr Netanyahu has promised that arch-foe Iran would pay for its missile attack, while Tehran has said any retaliation would be met with “vast destruction”, raising fears of a wider war in the oil-producing region which could draw in the US.
Naim Kassem: The former teacher now leading Hezbollah
Sheikh Naim Kassem has been the acting head of Hezbollah since its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed as part of an Israeli offensive that has taken out many of the Lebanese militant group’s senior officials.
Kassem made a defiant televised speech on Tuesday, claiming that the group’s military capabilities are intact and Israelis will only suffer further as fighting continues.
Like Nasrallah, Kassem is one of the founding members of the Shiite political party and armed group, but he is widely seen as lacking the former leader’s charisma and oratory skills.
More here.
On the ground: NHS medics volunteering in Gaza warn of catastrophic collapse of healthcare system
NHS medics volunteering in Gaza have warned of the “catastrophic” collapse of the healthcare system one year into the war, as they described trying to treat the wounded and sick amid shortages of everything from paracetamol to surgical gauze.
Nurses and doctors working in field hospitals run by the British medical charity UK-Med have called for immediate delivery of supplies and for health workers and facilities to be protected, as the world marks the grim milestone of one year at war.
UK-Med, which runs two facilities in the centre of Gaza, has treated 200,000 people and sees around 1,400 patients a day, but is struggling with overwhelming demand and a punishing lack of supplies.
Pictured: Aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on Beirut
Source: independent.co.uk