What's happened
Israeli airstrikes in Beirut have reportedly killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, along with two senior officers. This follows Prime Minister Netanyahu's UN address, where he vowed to continue military operations against Hezbollah. The U.S. supports Israel's actions, while Iran condemns the strike, raising concerns of escalating conflict in the region.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Business Insider UK, Israeli airstrikes on Beirut resulted in the death of Hassan Nasrallah, with the IDF confirming the strike occurred shortly after Netanyahu's UN address. The Telegraph reported that the airstrike was part of a 'diversionary plan' to mislead Hezbollah about Israel's military intentions. Meanwhile, SBS highlighted Netanyahu's assertion that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hezbollah, framing the conflict as a response to ongoing provocations. These contrasting perspectives illustrate the complexity of the situation, with differing emphases on military action versus diplomatic solutions.
How we got here
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated over the past year, with increased military actions and rhetoric. Netanyahu's recent UN speech emphasized Israel's commitment to degrading Hezbollah's capabilities, coinciding with the airstrikes that targeted Nasrallah and other key figures.
More on these topics
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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Hassan Nasrallah is the third and current Secretary General of the Lebanese political and paramilitary party Hezbollah since his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi, was assassinated by the Israel Defense Forces in February 1992.