Israeli airstrike ‘eliminates’ top Hezbollah military chief as Middle East tensions rise
ISRAEL last night claimed that its forces had killed a senior Hezbollah commander in a targeted airstrike in Lebanon.
Ismail Yusaf Baz, chief of the militant group’s coastal sector, was “eliminated” in an attack in the Ain Ebel area, it was said.
The Israel Defence Forces revealed the news, claiming one of its aircraft had made the strike.
It came as the world nervously awaited Israel’s response to the weekend missile and drone attack on its territory by Iran.
Yusaf Baz had served as a senior official in several positions in Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia Islamist militant group backed by Iran.
He had planned rocket and anti-tank missile launches toward
Israel from Lebanon’s coastal area, the IDF had said.
An Israeli military chief has vowed that Iran’s attack on Saturday “will be met with a response” – despite a growing chorus of calls for restraint from across the international community.
After an emergency meeting of the country’s five-member war cabinet, which includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Jerusalem made it clear that there will a robust retaliation from Israel to the missile and drone assault, despite pleas for a more measured response.
Herzi Halevi, IDF military chief of staff, confirmed Israel would hit back, but provided no further details. Speaking at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel, which was damaged in Saturday night’s attack by Iran, Halevi said: “This launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles and drones into Israeli territory will be met with a response.”
This sentiment seemed to echo that of Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s minister of national security, who earlier stressed: “We need a crushing attack.”
But Iran yesterday warned that it will respond to any further retaliatory action by Israel. President Ebrahim Raisi has said any Israeli military attack would also get a response, according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency.
But the prospect of escalating tit-for-tat military action between
the two states has sparked alarm throughout the international community, with the US and Britain leading calls for restraint.
There was also concern expressed by watchdogs that Israel may now decide to target some of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Rafael Grossi, International Atomic Energy Agency director general, said Iran closed its nuclear sites on Sunday over “security considerations”. And while they reopened again on Monday, he kept IAEA inspectors away “until we see that the situation is completely calm”.
When asked about the possibility of an Israel strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Mr Grossi added: “We are always concerned about this possibility.” He urged “extreme restraint”.
Any Israeli response has also alarmed many Iranians already enduring economic pain and tighter social and political controls since protests in 2022-23.
Iran had launched the attack in retaliation for what it said was an April 1 Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, and signalled that it does not seek further escalation.
While the attack caused no deaths and limited damage, it has increased fears of open warfare between the long-time foes and fuelled concerns that violence rooted in the Gaza war is spreading. US President Joe Biden told Mr Netanyahu at the weekend that the US will not participate in an Israeli counter-strike.
A White House national security spokesman declined to say if Mr Biden urged Mr Netanyahu in talks on Saturday night to exercise restraint in responding to Iran. He said: “We don’t want to see a war with Iran. We don’t want to see a regional conflict.”
Alarm
But alarm is spreading across the region and beyond.
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, said: “We’re on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away from it.
“We have to step on the brakes and reverse gear.”
United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres also called for restraint.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Iran’s actions threatened stability in the Middle East and could cause economic spill-overs.
The US would use sanctions, and work with allies, to keep disrupting Iran’s “malign and destabilising activity”, she added.
However, some analysts said the Biden administration was unlikely to undertake dramatic sanctions or action on Iran’s oil exports due to worries about boosting oil prices and angering top buyer China.
Russia has refrained from publicly criticising its ally Iran but has also urged restraint.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Further escalation is in no one’s interests.”
Since the war in Gaza began in October, clashes have erupted between Israel and Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
Israel also said four of its soldiers were wounded hundreds of yards inside Lebanese territory overnight.