Israeli forces have been put on “high alert” for escalation in the Middle East as Iran vows to enact revenge for the assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
Nasrallah, 64, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Iran-backed terror group’s headquarters in Beirut on Friday.
Confirming his death, Israel Defence Forces said: “Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world.”
Hezbollah, which launched strikes against Israel from the north, reiterated it will continue to battle against Benjamin Netanyahu after the assassination of its leader.
Ali KhameneiREUTERSAli Karki, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, is also believed to have been killed alongside Nasrallah in the strikes on Friday.
Israel believes several other members of Hezbollah’s high-command were killed, including Muhammad Ali Ismai.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halev said “a lot of preparation” was behind the attack.
He added: “It was the right time, [we] did it in a very precise way.”
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Flame and smoke rise over Lebanon as seen from Israel’s border with LebanonReutersFollowing Nasrallah’s death, Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei issued a chilling warning to Israel.
Khamenei said Lebanon will make Israel “regret their actions” and blasted the “short-sighted and foolish” policies of Israeli leaders.
He later claimed that Israel was “too small” to cause any damage to Hezbollah.
Despite tensions in the Middle East soaring, US President Joe Biden described Nasrallah’s death as a “measure of justice”.
Netanyahu presented his visions of the “curse” and “blessing” to the UN todayREUTERSHe said: “The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups.”
However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had put pressure on Israel and Lebanon to reach a ceasefire ahead of yesterday’s fatal attack.
Making his maiden UN General Assembly speech, Starmer said: “Stop the violence. Step back from the brink.”
The UK also urged British nationals in Lebanon to leave immediately because of the escalation in the region.