Israel intensifies strikes on Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah after killing leader

Ongoing attacks on Hezbollah targets

An Israeli airstrike on northeast Lebanon killed 11 people on Sunday, a day after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah confirmed the death of several commanders, including its long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah. 

According to the Israeli military, the air force "struck dozens of Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon," including rocket launchers, weapon storage sites, and other infrastructure. The navy also intercepted a projectile from the Red Sea area, and eight projectiles from Lebanon fell in open areas, the military said. 

Lebanon's health ministry reported 33 fatalities from Israeli strikes on Saturday, raising the overall toll to more than 1,670 since hostilities began on October 8, 2023 with 104 children among the dead. The conflict has displaced over 211,000 people from southern Lebanon, according to the United Nations.

Body of Hezbollah leader recovered

The body of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was recovered intact from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs, according to local medical and security sources.

Although Hezbollah's statement confirming Nasrallah's death did not specify how he was killed or details about his funeral, the sources noted his body showed no visible wounds and suggested he likely died from blunt trauma caused by the explosion's impact.

The loss is significant for Iran, as Nasrallah was a key figure in Tehran's network of allies in the region.

Hezbollah and Iran vow to keep fighting

Hezbollah stated it would continue its fight against Israel and would stop firing only when Israel's Gaza offensive concludes, launching rockets on Sunday morning. 

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said militant groups would keep opposing Israel with Tehran's backing after Nasrallah's death, Iranian state media reported.

The alliance known as the Axis of Resistance, built over decades with Iranian support, includes groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthis, and various Shi'ite militias in Iraq and Syria. 

Calls for calm 

Lebanon's Information Minister Ziad Makary said during a cabinet session on Sunday that diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire were underway. "It is certain that the Lebanese government wants a ceasefire," he said, adding that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was initially negotiating on this basis before deciding to target Nasrallah.

The Lebanese military also issued a call for calm: "The Israeli enemy is working to implement its destructive plans and spread division among the Lebanese." Security forces have been deployed throughout Beirut as thousands of displaced residents arrive from the south.

Meanwhile, Tehran has urged the U.N. Security Council to convene regarding Israel's actions in Lebanon and warned against attacks on its diplomats.

China condemned the strikes that killed Nasrallah and called for restraint. "China opposes and condemns all actions that harm innocent civilians," said its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urging Israel to de-escalate and prevent the conflict from expanding or "even getting out of control."

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