Israel's Renewed Strike Escalates Tension As Hezbollah's 7th Top Commander Eliminated | Top Points

New Delhi: As Israel intensifies its military operations against Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon by pounding it with airstrikes, killing hundreds, the Middle East is on the verge of an all-out war. Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon killed dozens of people on Sunday as well as the Hezbollah group sustained a string of deadly blows to its command structure, including the killing of its overall leader, Hassan Nasrallah. 

Hezbollah confirmed Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of the militant group's Central Council, was killed on Saturday, making him the seventh senior Hezbollah leader slain in Israeli strikes in a little over a week. They include founding members who had evaded death or detention for decades.

Hezbollah had earlier confirmed that Ali Karaki, another senior commander, died in Friday's strike that killed Nasrallah.

Israel says at least 20 other Hezbollah militants were killed in the strike, including two close associates of Nasrallah, one of whom was in charge of his security detail.

Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes and drones carried out deadly strikes across Lebanon on Sunday. The Lebanese health ministry said two consecutive strikes near the southern city of Sidon, about 45 km (28 miles) south of Beirut, killed at least 24 people. Separately, Israeli strikes in the northern province of Baalbek Hermel, 21 people were killed and at least 47 injured.

Wider War Anticipated In The Region

Notably, the aerial assault by Israel on what they call terror hideouts in Lebanon has eliminated several Hezbollah members, including its chief Hassan Nasrallah, in a deadly attack on south Beirut on Saturday. This was later confirmed by IDF on Sunday in a post on X.

The escalation of the conflict has also prompted Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to move to a safer place amid heightened security. Meanwhile, several nations have advised its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country as early as possible, as they anticipate a wider war in the region.

Reacting to Nasrallah's killing, US President Joe Biden called Hezbollah chief's elimination by Israel a "measure of justice" for victims of terror across the world. 

Here are the top points about the Israel-Hezbollah conflict:

• Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel will launch a “full-force” attack on Lebanon this week.
• Incoming rocket or missile sirens sounded in Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat, the IDF said on Sunday. 

• The Lebanese health ministry has claimed that Israel's renewed airstrikes on Saturday on Lebanon has left 33 people dead and 195 others injured. 
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday issued his first statement after the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and said his assassinating became an “essential condition” for Israel to achieve its war goals. Blaming Nasrallah for being “the architect” of a plan to “annihilate” Israel, Netanyahu said the killings of other top Hezbollah commanders was not enough and he decided Nasrallah also needed to be killed. Netanyahu called Nasrallah's killing a historic turn of events as it could shift the balance of power in the Middle East, warning of “challenging days” ahead. 
• Following Nasrallah's assassination, Iran urged the United Nations Security Council  (UNSC) to convene over Israel's activities in Lebanon and the broader region.
• US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the need for a ceasefire in the Middle East following the Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Both leaders described Nasrallah’s death as a "measure of justice" for the victims of Hezbollah's decades-long campaign of violence, which has targeted Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.
• Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the United States of backing Israel in the ongoing operation that resulted in the deaths of Nasrallah and numerous others.
• Top Israeli officials have warned that they will recreate Gaza-like destruction in Lebanon if Hezbollah's fire persists, heightening concerns about further displacement. 
• The Israeli army has claimed that a projectile launched from Lebanese soil has impacted the occupied West Bank, leading to the ignition of fires.
• Hundreds of people have fled their homes in Lebanon to escape Israel's massive bombardment, taking shelter in neighbouring Syria. 
• Several Lebanese media outlets reported that the latest Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) airstrike in Beirut targeted Nabil Qaouk, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s executive council. The airstrike was focused on the Dahiyeh suburb, a stronghold for Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital.