''We will not return from Gaza without eliminating Hamas. We will not back down from our objective.'' For the past 10 months, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stood firm on this statement, and without caring about the world, the Israeli army constantly carries out airstrikes in Palestine's Gaza Strip. Among Israel's targets are neighboring countries such as Lebanon, striking at enemy strongholds to drive the final nail in the coffin.
In the past 24 hours, Israel launched two significant attacks across two countries, eliminating its two biggest enemies. On Tuesday, the Israeli army first struck in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, killing Hezbollah's second-in-command, top military commander Fouad Shuker. Early Wednesday, the Israeli army then struck in Tehran, Iran's capital, killing Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was hiding there. Just a day before, he had attended the inauguration ceremony of Iran's new president.
On Tuesday, the Israeli Air Force bombarded Beirut, killing Hezbollah's top military commander, Fouad Shuker, also known as Haj Mohsin. Israel had blamed Shuker for rocket attacks on its occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli army said in a statement, 'Our fighter jets killed Fouad Shuker, the most senior military commander of the terrorist organization Hezbollah and head of its strategic unit, in Beirut.'
Hezbollah is one of the most influential Shia military groups in Lebanon and much of the Middle East. It was formed in 1982 when Israel invaded Lebanon. Hezbollah's main goal was to expel Israeli forces from Lebanon and establish an Islamic state. Besides its military activities, Hezbollah has presented itself as a political party, playing a significant role in Lebanese politics and operating hospitals, schools, and social services in Lebanon. However, multiple nations have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. It has been involved in many conflicts with Israel and receives support from Iran and Syria.
Source: aajtak
On the evening of July 27, Hezbollah targeted northern Israel, firing an Iranian Falaq-1 rocket at a football field, which resulted in the deaths of 12 children. Israel vowed revenge and promised that Hezbollah would face the consequences. Shuker was a close confidant of Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and acted as his advisor in planning and directing attacks and operations.
On October 7, 2023, one of the largest terrorist attacks on Israeli soil occurred, and by Wednesday, Israel had avenged it. Within 24 hours of its assault on Lebanon, Israel carried out another significant strike, this time in Tehran, Iran. It stormed the residence of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who orchestrated the attack on October 7, and killed him inside his own home.
Source: aajtak
Just a day before, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh met with Iran's supreme leaders in Tehran, attending the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president Masoud Pezeshkian. Images surfaced of Haniyeh mingling comfortably with Iran’s ministers and senior leaders, showing no signs of distress or concern. No one could have predicted that a few hours later, Israel would carry out a precise attack that left Haniyeh no chance of escape.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas shocked the world with a series of deadly coordinated attacks on Israel, killing over 1,200 people. Hamas militants took 250 Israelis hostage, transporting them to Gaza. Hamas still holds around 150 Israeli hostages. Due to this, Hamas and its leader became Israel's prime targets. In retaliation for the Hamas attack, Israel launched strikes against Palestine, eliminating many top commanders of Hamas and Hezbollah. The deaths of Haniyeh and Shuker mark significant victories for Israel. Hamas claims that over 39,000 Palestinian civilians have died in Israeli strikes, while Israel reports it has killed over 14,000 Hamas militants and associates during this operation.
Ismail Haniyeh has been a substantial figure in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, keeping alive the cause of Palestine and Hamas for the past three decades. For the past 10 months, Israel's fury has been unrelenting upon Palestine. While Haniyeh lived a secure life in Qatar, his family members were being systematically wiped out back in Gaza.
Source: aajtak
In April 2024, Israeli security forces killed three of Haniyeh's sons. Haniyeh had 13 sons, three of whom, along with a grandson and three granddaughters, have been killed so far. During an airstrike on Gaza, Israel's IDF killed Haniyeh’s sons: Amir, Hazem, and Mohammed, as they were about to execute terrorist activities. On June 25, 2024, an attack on a refugee camp resulted in the deaths of 10 family members, including Haniyeh's sister. In October of the previous year, when Israel began its wrath on Gaza, 14 of Haniyeh's family members, including nephews, were killed. In November 2023, his granddaughter died in an airstrike in Gaza, and later that month, his eldest grandson was killed in another Israeli airstrike.
