Key Takeaways:
– A Lebanese Hamas leader, Fatah Sharif, and his family were reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike.
– Israel’s airstrikes have caused a significant loss to Hezbollah including the death of their long-time leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
– The ongoing conflict has escalated dramatically, with heaviest Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon killing over 1,000 people as Israeli hits Houthi targets in Yemen.
– The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed at least 105 people were killed in airstrikes on Sunday.
– Biden cited Nasrallah’s death as a “measure of justice”, warning that Hezbollah will work quickly to rebuild their command structure.
Hamas Leader Killed in Airstrike
In a heartrending incident on Monday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas announced the death of its leader in Lebanon, Fatah Sharif, and his family by an Israeli airstrike. The attack aimed at Al-Buss refugee camp in the southern port city of Tyre marked one of the significant developments in the enduring Israel-Lebanon conflict.
Hezbollah Sustains Major Losses
During the last week, Israel has relentlessly aimed at Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hezbollah. This included a powerful strike that killed Hezbollah’s long-standing leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Monday witnessed the first apparent Israeli airstrike touching central Beirut in nearly a year, reducing an apartment building to rubble. As firefighters battled the flames following the airstrike, it was clear that the onslaught resulted in heavy loss to Hezbollah’s command structure, exacerbating the crisis in Lebanon.
Rising Civilian Death Toll
Sadly, along with the key militant figures, civilians have borne a significant brunt of these recent attacks. A residential building in central Beirut was heavily hit, resulting in at least one dead and sixteen injured as per an anonymous Lebanese Civil Defense official. The deceased was reportedly a member of Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a Sunni political and militant group allied with Hezbollah.
Additionally, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine reported that three of its members lost their lives in the airstrike. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed that two strikes near the southern city of Sidon killed at least 32 people, and separate Israeli strikes in the northern province of Baalbek Hermel claimed the lives of 21 people and injured at least 47.
Hezbollah Leaders Killed in Strikes
With Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council, being the latest loss to the organization, he joins the list of seven senior Hezbollah leaders confirmed killed in Israeli attacks within a little over a week. This included Ali Karaki, a senior commander of Hezbollah who was also killed in the same strike that ended Nasrallah’s life.
Biden Labels Nasrallah’s Death as “Measure of Justice”
In international responses, US President Biden referred to the death of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “measure of justice” for his countless victims. He added, “Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror,” reflecting on the effect on Israelis and Lebanese civilians.
Moreover, John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, remarked that the recent airstrikes had “wiped out” Hezbollah’s command structure and people were safer without Nasrallah. Nonetheless, he pointed out the potential for the group to recover and rebuild given a leadership vacuum.
Escalation and Aftermath
In retaliation to Israeli air strikes, Hezbollah increased its rocket attacks significantly over the past week, per Israeli military reports. Despite the escalated rocket attacks, the Israeli army maintains that its strikes have degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities. The country is determined to return about 60,000 of its evacuated citizens to their communities in the north.
The ongoing conflict in the area has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, with approximately 250,000 currently sheltering and others staying with friends or relatives, or living on the streets.
Lasting Peace Elusive
The situation represents an alarming escalation of a conflict that has long cast its shadow over the region. With calls from international bodies for a temporary ceasefire and peace negotiations, the path to a stable peace in the region appears fraught and complex, yet more critical than ever as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.