Iran’s Khamenei Asserts Hezbollah Remains Strong Despite Israeli Strikes, Violence Escalates

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that Hezbollah remains strong despite the loss of several top commanders in recent Israeli strikes, Al Jazeera reports.

Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting with military personnel, as Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon continued for the third consecutive day, Khamenei acknowledged the weakening of Hezbollah but insisted on its survival.

The escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah follows a series of coordinated attacks that detonated electronic devices used by Hezbollah throughout Lebanon and Syria. These attacks, widely attributed to Israel, have resulted in at least 39 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries, marking a dangerous escalation in cyber-warfare.

On Wednesday, Israeli warplanes launched a third day of airstrikes on Lebanon, following previous raids that resulted in the deaths of at least 558 people. This wave of violence constitutes the deadliest in Lebanon since the 1975-1990 civil war, prompting tens of thousands to flee from the south of the country.

Among the casualties are several senior Hezbollah figures, including commanders Ibrahim Aqil and Ibrahim Muhammad Qubaisi. In retaliation, Hezbollah announced the launch of a ballistic missile targeting the Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv, an unprecedented attack according to the Israeli military.