Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah has finally confirmed the death of one of its top military commanders in an Israeli attack on Beirut, as his body has been recovered from rubble.
Hezbollah previously refused to confirm Israel’s claim that it had killed Fuad Shukr, described as ‘the right-hand man’ of their leader Hassan Nasrallah, on Tuesday night.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) blamed him for an attack on Saturday that left 12 children and teenagers dead in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Hezbollah has denied involvement.
Hezbollah had earlier on Wednesday released a long-awaited statement on Shukr, saying Israel had attacked a residential building in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold for the group, and that “a number of citizens” had been killed and others wounded.
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It said Shukr “was present in this building at the time” but the group was still awaiting definitive results on his
fate.
More than 24 hours after the Israeli strike hit, the group has now confirmed Shukr’s death.
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The Lebanese health ministry said two children and two women had also been killed and 74 people injured in Beirut.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Wednesday praised the IDF for its strike on Beirut as he described Shukr as “one of the most wanted terrorists in the world”.
The Israeli leader, who cut his US visit short last week following news of the attack in Golan Heights, added: “He was a key factor in the connection between Iran and Hezbollah.”
Speaking during a news conference in Tel Aviv, Mr Netanyahu said when it comes to threats against Israel, the country is prepared for any scenario.
“Israel will make anyone who is against us pay a very heavy price,” he said, before claiming he “will not give in” to voices calling for the end to the war in Gaza.
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Shukr is the most senior Hezbollah commander to have been killed in the latest clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.
Israel and Hezbollah started trading fire on 8 October, a day after Hamas, the militant group running Gaza and which has deep ties to Hezbollah, killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took more than 250 hostage.
In a further development which raises concerns of an all-out war in the region, Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran early on Wednesday morning, an attack that drew threats of revenge on Israel.
Although the attack was widely assumed to have been carried out by Israel, Mr Netanyahu’s government made no claim of responsibility and said it would make no comment on the killing.
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Haniyeh had been the face of Hamas’ international diplomacy as it fought Israel’s offensive in the besieged and densely populated enclave of Gaza.
He had been taking part in indirect talks to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza, where, according to local health officials, more than 39,400 people have been killed in the nearly 10 months of war.
