Israel’s navy confirmed on Wednesday the killing of Hashem Safieddine, the presumed successor of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli assault final month.
“It may possibly now be confirmed that in an assault roughly three weeks in the past, Hashem Safieddine, the top of Hezbollah’s Government Council, and Ali Hussein Hazima, the top of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Directorate, had been killed together with different Hezbollah commanders,” the military mentioned in an announcement.
Hezbollah has not but issued an announcement relating to the declare.
On 8 October, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned that the navy has “taken out” Safieddine, with out particularly naming him.
It comes as Lebanon’s well being ministry mentioned on Tuesday no less than 18 folks had been killed, together with 4 youngsters in an Israeli strike close to Beirut’s major authorities hospital.
“I’m appalled,” United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk mentioned in an announcement, insisting that “the elemental ideas of worldwide humanitarian regulation in regards to the safety of civilians have to be revered”.
Folks and members of the emergency companies work on the web site of an Israeli navy strike close to the Rafik Hariri College Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon. Supply: EPA / Wael Hamzeh
Turk confused that “within the conduct of navy operations, all possible precautions have to be taken to keep away from, and, in any occasion to minimise incidental lack of civilian life, damage to civilians and injury to civilian objects”.
“Hospitals, ambulances and medical personnel are particularly protected underneath worldwide humanitarian regulation due to their lifesaving perform for the wounded and the sick,” Turk mentioned.
“I repeat the UN’s name for a right away cessation to hostilities, and remind all events that the safety of civilians have to be absolutely the high precedence.”
The Israeli navy mentioned its jets hit a Hezbollah goal near the Rafik Hariri College Hospital, however denied focusing on the hospital.
Nevertheless, the director of the hospital mentioned that as a result of Israeli assault, close by particles, in all probability from heavy ammunition, had prompted injury to the medical facility.
Whereas there have been no casualties among the many employees, efforts to rescue folks in entrance of the hospital had been ongoing, the director, Jihad Saadeh, added.
Folks maintain a portrait of late Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah atop the rubble of a broken construction, following an Israeli airstrike within the Dahieh district, south of Beirut. Supply: EPA / Wael Hamzeh
Is a ceasefire attainable?
Lebanon’s Hezbollah motion mentioned on Tuesday there can be no negotiations whereas combating continued with Israel and it claimed sole duty for a drone assault on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vacation dwelling.
The group “takes full and sole duty” for focusing on Netanyahu’s home, Mohammad Afif, head of the Iranian-backed militant group’s media workplace, instructed a press convention within the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Israel mentioned a drone was launched at Netanyahu’s vacation dwelling on Saturday. Netanyahu was not there on the time, however he described it as an assassination try by “Iran’s proxy Hezbollah” and known as it a “grave mistake”.
“And we affirm our place, no negotiations underneath hearth. What just isn’t taken by hearth just isn’t given with politics,” Afif mentioned.
This diplomatic shift follows Hezbollah’s requires a ceasefire earlier in October and reviews from the Lebanese authorities that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah had agreed to a short lived ceasefire earlier than Israel assassinated him on 27 September.
No less than 2,546 folks in Lebanon have been killed and 11,862 wounded since 7 October 2023 based on Lebanon’s well being ministry.
Hezbollah has additionally for the primary time acknowledged that Israel had taken a few of its fighters hostage because it launched a floor invasion in south Lebanon and mentioned that Israel was answerable for their wellbeing.
Hezbollah had not captured any Israeli troopers however had come shut, Afif mentioned.
He additionally denied that the group’s Al-Qard Al-Hassan Affiliation was concerned in financing Hezbollah salaries or weapons and would fulfil its obligations to purchasers in full even after Israel focused it with some 30 strikes on Sunday.
Israel and the US say Al-Qard Al-Hassan, which has over 30 shops throughout Lebanon, is utilized by Hezbollah for cash laundering and terrorism financing, assertions the group denies.
