In a dramatic escalation of tensions, Israel has reportedly targeted senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine, the presumed successor to the group’s chief, Hassan Nasrallah.
While Israel claims Safieddine has been eliminated, confirmation of his death remains unclear, with some local sources suggesting he may have survived the attack. This strike marks a significant moment in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has already claimed the lives of more than 1,900 people and left over 9,000 injured in Lebanon.
As Israel signals the possibility of expanding its ground operations, the broader regional conflict continues to intensify, drawing in key players like Iran. Earlier today, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reaffirmed the nation’s support for Palestine during a rare Friday sermon, following recent missile strikes on Israel. Iran’s foreign minister has also arrived in Beirut for high-level discussions with Lebanese officials, as the stakes in this multi-front war continue to rise.
In an exclusive discussion with NewsX Executive Editor Megha Sharma, several journalists weighed in on the escalating conflict between Israel and its regional adversaries.
When asked about Ayatollah Khamenei’s recent remarks supporting Iran’s ballistic missile strikes on Israel, investigative journalist Fateme Karimkhan from Tehran explained, “In times of war, every country tries to defend itself, not just Iran but Israel, Lebanon, and Syria too. While many may not label groups like Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorists, others do. It’s important to recognize the divide in perspectives.”
Responding to this, Israeli journalist Heim Etgar firmly stated, “If you target civilians instead of military forces, as was the case on October 7, that’s terrorism, plain and simple.”
Echoing the severity of the situation, Joyeeta Basu, Editor of The Daily Guardian, condemned Khamenei’s comments, describing them as monstrous. She added, “Justifying Hamas’s attack is something that could only come from a terrorist.”
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