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Senior Hezbollah leader reportedly killed in Israeli airstrike

NEW DELHI: Amid an intensifying military action, a senior figure in Hezbollah was killed in what is believed to be an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon. Wissam Tawil, held a commanding role within Hezbollah’s Radwan forces, marking the most prominent loss among Hezbollah’s ranks since cross-border hostilities ignited with the Hamas incursion into Israel on October 7.

Hezbollah, backed by Iran and aligned with Hamas, has been incessantly targeting Israel’s border, while Israel, pledging to eradicate Hamas, has been launching relentless strikes against Gaza following the Hamas attack.

Although speculation suggests that Tawil has been killed by an airstrike on his vehicle in southern Lebanon, Israel’s military refrained from official comment. However, they acknowledged targeting Hezbollah installations in response to cross-border attacks, according to CNN.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah confirmed Tawil’s demise, hailing him as a “commander,” sharing images of him alongside the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and the late Iranian general Qassem Suleimani.

Over 130 Hezbollah militants have been killed since the recent escalation of violence. Tawil’s significance in the group was underscored by his experience in active deployments across Hezbollah’s operations in Syria and Iraq.

Amid these escalating tensions, concerns are mounting about the potential spread of violence across the Middle East. Gaza’s health authorities report a death toll exceeding 23,000, with more than 85 per cent of the territory’s inhabitants displaced by Israeli airstrikes and ground actions.

The targeted killing of Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’s deputy political leader, in a drone strike in Beirut, attributed to Israel, further raised tensions. In retaliation, Hezbollah launched rockets at an Israeli observation post, signalling potential retaliation while cautiously avoiding an all-out conflict.

Hezbollah’s Deputy Leader Naim Qassem voiced the group’s reluctance to instigate a total war but warned of an unrestrained response if Israel escalates hostilities.

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