Days After Haniyeh Killing, Iran-Backed Hezbollah Fires Dozens of Rockets at Israel

New Delhi:  Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Sunday announced that it has launched dozens of rockets at Israel, according to media reports.

As per reports, the militant group fired a barrage of Katyusha rockets into northern Israel, targeting the town of Beit Hillel. The Lebanese outfit stated that this attack was the most recent in a series of attacks carried out in solidarity with the Palestinians.

In a statement, Hezbollah said: "In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honourable resistance, and in response to the Israeli enemy's attacks on the steadfast southern villages and safe homes, especially the attacks that targeted the villages of Kafr Kila and Deir Siryan and injured civilians, the Islamic Resistance included the new settlement of Beit Hillel in its fire schedule and bombarded it for the first time with dozens of Katyusha rockets."

Meanwhile, Israel is yet to give any reaction on the incident.

Fuad Shukr, Ismail Haniyeh killings

This escalation in the Middle East crisis comes days after the killing of a top Hezbollah leader in Beirut and Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran hours after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

In an air strike on July 30, Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut in Lebanon. Israel has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. Reports suggested that Shukr had been responsible for the missile strike that killed 12 children playing football in Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights on Saturday. Hezbollah, for its part, had denied responsibility for the strike.

According to reports, Haniyeh was killed at his Tehran residence.

The move by Iran-backed Hezbollah has pushed the world to stare at another war waiting for Israel who is already into its 10-month-old war with Hamas in Gaza.

Haniyeh's killing on foreign land had drawn criticism for Israel by many nations including Iran, China, Qatar, Russia, Turkey and Sri Lanka.

Hezbollah's Reaction on Haniyeh Killing

The killings led to vows of revenge from Iran-backed groups, including the Lebanese outfit, in the region. The deadly attack on Haniyeh fuelled further concern that the conflict in Gaza was turning into a wider Middle East war. 

“We in Hezbollah share with our dear brothers in the Hamas movement all the feelings of pain over the loss of this great leader, the feelings of anger at the enemy’s crimes, the feelings of pride that the leaders in our movements are leading their people and their mujahideen to martyrdom,” read a statement posted on Telegram by the Hamas and Iran-aligned Lebanese armed group.

Taking to Twitter, Qatar PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani condemned the killing and wrote, “Political assassinations and continued targeting of civilians in Gaza while talks continue leads us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side? Peace needs serious partners.” Notably the PM Thani had led Qatar’s mediation efforts.

As fears grow for widening of war in the Middle East, Israel stands clear on its stance of eradicating Hamas entirely. The Gaza war triggered by deadly October 7 attack on Israel, has so far seen deaths of over 30,000 people as ceasefire and peace talks remain stalled.

US readies itself for War

In view of a possible Iranian attack on Israel, US President Joe Biden has given assurance to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of security from any Iranian threats as tensions are mounting in the Middle East riddled with conflicts. Recently, Netanyahu visited US and met Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris, who discussed the de-escalation of its war in Gaza, citing human sufferings. 

Meanwhile, the US has deployed its warship and fighter jets in order to back its ally as concerns grow over possible Iranian attack on Israel.