Hezbollah has announced a “new phase of escalation” in the conflict with Israel following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The escalation of the confrontation will be indicated by upcoming actions, the Lebanese organisation’s press office said on Friday.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed in Gaza
The Israeli military said on Thursday it had killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, who is believed to have been the architect of the attack on Israel on October 7 last year. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announcing the killing, said:
“While this is not the end of the war in Gaza, it’s the beginning of the end.”
Netanyahu said Sinwar was killed in the Gaza town of Rafah. Hamas has not yet confirmed the death. Sinwar was killed in a random clash with Israeli troops in southern Gaza and was only later identified.
Israel Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said the military spotted three men running from house to house and engaged them before splitting up. He said the man, later identified as Sinwar, “ran alone into one of the buildings” and was killed after being spotted by a drone.
Drone footage released by Israel on Thursday purportedly captured the Hamas leader’s last moments before he was killed. The video shows a wounded man sitting with his head covered on a chair in a nearly destroyed building. The man is seen throwing a stick at a drone, after which the footage ends.
World reaction to the assassination of the head of Hamas
US President Joe Biden, commenting on Sinwar’s death, said the Hamas leader was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Israelis, Palestinians and Americans, among others. He also added:
“This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world.”
The US President said there was now an opportunity for a “political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the assassination of the head of Hamas and a settlement in the Gaza Strip on Thursday in phone conversations with his Saudi and Qatari counterparts, according to written statements from State Department press chief Matthew Miller.
He said the US foreign policy chief and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud spoke about “the death of Yahya Sinwar and the importance of ongoing efforts to end the conflict and release all hostages.” Miller also added:
“The Secretary discussed ongoing work towards a post-conflict period in Gaza that ensures Hamas does not remain in power and provides a path for the people of Gaza to rebuild their lives and realise their aspirations.”
According to him, the US and Saudi diplomatic chiefs also spoke “about the situation in Lebanon and the urgent need to deliver humanitarian aid to all vulnerable populations.”
As specified by the head of the press service of the State Department, Blinken and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani discussed “the death of Yahya Sinwar and the need to redouble efforts to end the conflict and release the hostages.” They also talked about the arrangement in the Gaza Strip after the cessation of hostilities there.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “Sinwar’s death ends a reign of terror.” He also added Hamas “must lay down its arms, release the hostages, and play no future role in the governance of Gaza,” and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire to end the suffering in Gaza.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said “Sinwar was a brutal murderer and terrorist, who wanted to destroy Israel and its people.” She also added Hamas must immediately release all hostages and lay down its weapons, saying “the suffering of the people in Gaza must finally end.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said:
“I am convinced that a new phase must now begin: it is time for all hostages to be released, for an immediate ceasefire to be declared and for reconstruction to begin in Gaza.”
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said:
“Sinwar was the leader of a terrorist organisation, the terrorist organisation of Hamas. And he was basically the mastermind behind the 7th of October with the killings, the massacres, the rapes and the kidnapping. So his death is certainly significantly weakening Hamas.”
European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said “[Sinwar] was an obstacle to an urgently needed ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages.” Later, he added:
“There must be an end to violence, liberation of hostages and stop to the suffering of Palestinians.”
Iran’s permanent mission to the UN said the killing of Sinwar would only strengthen the spirit of the Palestinian resistance. The Iranian diplomatic mission said in a message published in X on October 17:
“The spirit of resistance will only be strengthened. He (Sinwar) will become a role model for the youth and children who will continue his journey to liberate Palestine. As long as there is aggression and occupation, the resistance will continue.”
The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza is a major victory for Israel after a year-long hunt for the man believed to be the mastermind behind the deadliest terror attack in the country’s history, CNN reports.
Experts say it could bring the devastating war in Gaza to a close if Israel and its allies can seize the opportunity.
Harel Chorev, a senior fellow at the Moshe Dayan Centre at Tel Aviv University, told CNN that Sinwar’s death could be a deadly blow to Hamas because of the way he led the group. Chorev said that before the war, power in Hamas was decentralised – Sinwar, the political head of Gaza, was just one of many leaders – but that has changed over the past year. He also added:
“Sinwar became the sole decision maker, and of course, he grew stronger and stronger as Israel killed more and more important figures, such as (Hamas’ military chief) Mohammed Deif.”
New Hamas head
The head of the Hamas movement’s office abroad, Khaled Mashal, has taken over as head of the organisation after the Israeli army killed Yahya Sinwar, Lebanese media reported.
Khaled Mashal has assumed the role of acting head of the movement and is now in charge of all communications with key parties involved in hostage negotiations. The media reported that “Hamas leadership informed Turkish, Qatari and Egyptian officials of Sinwar’s death in the Tel al-Sultan operation and that negotiations on prisoner exchange and an end to the war would become increasingly difficult following his killing.”
Hezbollah launches “new escalatory phase”
On Thursday, Hezbollah announced the launch of a “new escalatory phase” in its confrontation with Israel. In a statement, the Lebanese party said:
“In line with the directives of the Resistance leadership, the Islamic Resistance Operations Room announces the transition to a new, escalatory phase in the confrontation with the Israeli enemy, the details of which will unfold in the coming days.”
The report also noted that the organisation’s fighters are striking “Israeli enemy concentrations in military installations and barracks along the border… as well as in settlements and occupied northern towns” using “various types of rockets, including precision missiles used for the first time.”
In a related development, Hezbollah also referred to killing “55 Israeli enemy officers and soldiers” and wounding “more than 500” in Lebanon.
On Friday, Hezbollah said in a series of statements that two clusters of Israeli soldiers near the town of Aita al-Shaab were hit by heavy rocket fire. The second attack came as Israeli soldiers were trying to evacuate their wounded and dead.
In addition, the party stated:
“After monitoring the movements of Israeli enemy soldiers on the outskirts of the town of Kafr Kila, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted them with artillery shells at 1:05 AM on Friday, October 18, 2024.”
The attacks were carried out “in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in solidarity with their brave and noble resistance, as well as in defence of Lebanon and its people.”
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that more than 15 rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards the Haifa Bay in the latest shelling.
