Israel-Hezbollah Tensions: Israeli Military Says 'World A Better Place' After Hezbollah Confirms Death Of Leader Nasrallah

With Nasrallah's death, Hezbollah now faces the difficult task of selecting a new leader. Reports suggest that Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's cousin and head of Hezbollah's political affairs, might be a potential successor.

Safieddine survived the recent Israeli attack and has been seen as a strong candidate since the 1990s when he returned to Beirut from studies in Iran.

According to Al Jazeera, more air attacks have taken place in Beirut’s Dahiyeh area on Saturday.

The Israeli military in a recent statement confirmed that it conducted another attack in the area, which is home to about 700,000 people.

Israel destroyed several residential buildings on Friday, killing at least 11 people and wounding more than 100. The casualty figures are expected to rise with search teams struggling to find bodies in the debris.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Lebanon is the new target of Israel’s policy of “genocide, occupation, and invasion” and urged the UN Security Council and other bodies to stop the attacks.

The Israeli government is “becoming more reckless” as it is backed by world powers that provide it with weapons and ammunition to commit “massacres”, the Turkish president said in a post on X.

“It’s challenging all humanity, human values ??and international law,” he added.

Erdogan also said Turkey stood with the Lebanese people and government, offering his condolences for those killed in the Israeli strikes, while saying the Muslim world should show a more “determined” stance.

- Al Jazeera

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in a post on X stated, "More than 50,000 Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon have now crossed into Syria fleeing Israeli airstrikes."

He added, “Well over 200,000 are displaced inside Lebanon.”

The relief operations are under way in both countries.

Iran’s foreign ministry says the path of Hezbollah’s chief Hassan Nasrallah will continue despite his killing in an Israeli air strike on Beirut yesterday.

“The glorious path of the leader of the resistance, Hassan Nasrallah, will continue and his sacred goal will be realised in the liberation of Quds [Jerusalem], God willing,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani on X mourning his death.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari has called Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah one of Israel’s “greatest enemies” and claimed his killing made the world “safer”.

In a televised briefing, Hagari said the group’s remaining senior members would still be targeted.

He added that the “Hezbollah headquarters” in Beirut where the group’s leader was killed was a legitimate military target under international law.

- Al Jazeera

France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it is in contact with the Lebanese authorities and France’s partners in the region to prevent any destabilisation and conflagration “following the confirmation of the assassination of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah”.

The ministry also stressed that the security and protection of civilians must be guaranteed.

- Al Jazeera

Hezbollah has confirmed that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has been killed in an Israeli airstrike. It vowed to continue the battle against Israel.

The group said in a statement it would continue its battle against Israel "in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defence of Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people".

A recent Israeli strike targeted a building in the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to a Lebanese security official.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation, reported that the strike occurred in an area known as a Hezbollah stronghold.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Muslims to support the people of Lebanon and Hezbollah in their fight against Israel. Following the reported killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by the Israeli army, Khamenei stated that the future of the region depends on the resistance forces, led by Hezbollah.

The Israeli army announced that it has attacked more than 140 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon since last night, as reported by Reuters. This action is part of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon's Transport Ministry has instructed an Iranian plane not to enter its airspace after Israel threatened to use "force" if the aircraft landed at Beirut airport. A ministry source stated that it was unclear what was on the plane but emphasized that the safety of people is the top priority.

Israel has heightened its security in anticipation of a broader conflict following the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani expressed hope that this event might alter Hezbollah’s actions.

In response, Hezbollah claimed to have launched missile strikes on Israeli locations, including Rosh Pina in the north, in retaliation for Israeli attacks on Lebanese cities and civilians.

Two regional officials report that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been relocated to a secure facility within the country under increased security measures. The move follows Israel’s announcement of the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

According to sources, Iran is maintaining close contact with Hezbollah and other regional proxies to decide on their next course of action.

Intense Israeli airstrikes overnight demolished dozens of buildings in southern Beirut, following the reported killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, according to AFP. Thousands of residents evacuated the densely populated Dahiyeh district as fires continued to burn on Saturday morning. Streets were left blocked by debris and twisted metal, with smoke rising from multiple areas in the aftermath of the strikes.

Israel dramatically intensified its airstrikes in Lebanon this week, saying it is determined to put an end to more than 11 months of Hezbollah fire into its territory. The escalated campaign has killed more than 720 people in Lebanon, including dozens of women and children, according to Health Ministry statistics.

The conflict between the two Middle Eastern nations intensified following Israel's remote explosions in Lebanon using the electronic gadgets used by the Hezbollah members.

In two consecutive incidents, several pagers and walkie-talkies exploded in Beirut and other areas killing and injuring many people.

Citing a video message by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), a BBC report said following Friday's airstrike, the IDF's Chief of Staff, Lt Gen. Herzi Halevi, “The message is very clear, whoever threatens Israeli citizens we know how get [them], in the north, south, or further away."

"It was the right time, [we] did it in a very precise way", he added

"This is not the end of our toolbox, we have to be very clear. We have more capacity going forward," Halevi said.

Earlier it was told that Hassan Nasrallah's daughter Zainab Nasrallah was killed as well in Israeli airstrikes. However, no official confirmation has been received as of now from the Lebanese militant outfit. If true, Zainab's death will carry the potential to escalate the tension further between Hezbollah and Israel.

The attack on Friday came in the form of a series of massive explosions targeting the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah, according to two people familiar with the matter. The news of the deadly blasts came as Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was briefing reporters after his UNGA address.

• Lebanese militant group Hezbollah's chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

• Reportedly, Hassan Nasrallah's daughter Zainab Nasrallah was also killed today.

• Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been relocated to a secure facility following rising tension in Middle-east.

• Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari has called Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah one of Israel’s “greatest enemies” and claimed his killing made the world “safer”.

• Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's cousin and head of Hezbollah's political affairs, might be a potential successor.

• Israel continued to strike Southern Beirut on Saturday.

• France and China urge United Nations to step in for preventing further damage in Middle-east.

• UN informed that more than 50,000 Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon have now crossed into Syria fleeing Israeli airstrikes.