Israeli strike on Hezbollah good for the world

US National Security Spokesperson John Kirby joined CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday morning, where he said Israel’s recent strikes that killed Hezbollah leaders were “good for the world” and called for a ceasefire.

“I think having decimated the command structure of Hezbollah certainly works to the Israeli’s advantage,” Kirby said.

“It’s actually good for the region, good for the world.”

Kirby’s appearance followed Israel’s recent attack on Hezbollah. The Lebanese militant group confirmed over the weekend that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah and other top officials, were killed in strikes.

In statements online, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Nasrallah was killed in the suburb of the capital in a strike that targeted the command center used by the group.

A day later, another leader, Nabil Kaouk, was also confirmed by the IDF to have been killed.

Kirby said Sunday he doesn’t think “anyone is mourning” the death of Nasrallah but continued his calls for Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire before the tensions in the region expand to a regional war. 

Hezbollah will likely rebuild after the deaths, and Kirby said the United States is “watching to see what they do to try to fill this leadership back in.”

 

Israel brings the world to a ghastly war

The assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, alongside Iranian General Ali Nilforushan, has escalated tensions in the Middle East to dangerous levels, potentially triggering a regional conflict involving numerous proxies. Some analysts now even refer to the United States as an Israeli proxy.

On Friday, a large-scale Israeli strike in Beirut resulted in the death of Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah. Given Nasrallah’s pivotal role in Lebanese politics, regional geopolitics, and Hezbollah’s position as a central figure in the 'Axis of Resistance,' his assassination is poised to send shockwaves throughout the Middle East.

Since October 7, 2023, Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israel following Hamas’s armed incursion into Israeli territory. In the ensuing weeks, Israel has intensified its operations inside Lebanon, launching a brutal bombing campaign that, as of Monday, has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced tens of thousands of people. Israeli forces have been systematically targeting key Hezbollah commanders for months, with Nasrallah’s killing being the most significant blow to the movement.

While Israel may have secured a tactical victory with Nasrallah’s assassination, it risks unleashing a cycle of violence that could spiral out of control. This echoes the assassination of Abbas Musawi, Nasrallah’s predecessor, by Israel in 1992, which, despite Musawi’s death, only strengthened Hezbollah. Under Nasrallah’s leadership, the group became one of the most formidable armed non-state actors in the region, playing a key role in ending Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000.

Similarly, Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was assassinated by Israel in 2004, yet his organization remains a powerful political and military force within the Palestinian territories. Israel’s strategy of targeted killings has repeatedly backfired, as these movements often emerge more resilient, committed to retaliation.

While Hezbollah may be reeling from this latest loss, the group remains defiant. In a statement, they vowed to continue “confronting the enemy.” Iran’s Supreme Leader has also pledged continued support for Hezbollah and Lebanon, pushing the region into highly volatile territory.

Israel’s actions, including its unrelenting bombing campaign in Gaza and the targeted killings of Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, suggest it is seeking a broader confrontation with Iran and its allies. Moreover, some argue that Israel is attempting to drag the United States—its staunchest ally—into the conflict.

Israel’s aggressive posture has now brought the world to the edge of a major war.

Iranian General killed alongside Nasrallah

A prominent Iranian general in the Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Abbas Nilforushan, was killed in an Israeli airstrike that also claimed the life of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, according to Iranian media reports on Saturday.

The strike occurred in Beirut on Friday as part of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which has pushed the conflict closer to becoming a full-scale regional confrontation.

Nilforushan, 58, held a senior position as the deputy commander for operations in the Revolutionary Guard, overseeing ground forces. His presence in Lebanon during the strike has raised questions, although his role in the region highlights Iran’s long-standing support of Hezbollah.

The Tehran Times and other state-run media confirmed his death, with Iranian officials, including Ahmad Reza Pour Khaghan, deputy head of Iran’s judiciary, describing him as a "guest to the people of Lebanon." Khaghan stressed that Iran reserves the right to retaliate under international law.

Nilforushan’s death adds to the growing list of casualties within Iran's military leadership as Israel continues its operations against Hezbollah, which has been heavily involved in the conflict. Iranian support for Hezbollah has long been a source of tension, with the Guard’s Quds Force arming and training the militia in Lebanon.

The airstrike marks a significant blow to Iran’s military presence in the region, coming on the heels of the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was reportedly killed in Tehran earlier this year.

Both Hezbollah and Iran have vowed retaliation for these high-profile losses, intensifying concerns of a broader Middle Eastern war. 

World reaction on killing of Hezbollah Leader

The Lebanese group Hezbollah has confirmed the death of Hassan Nasrallah, its longtime leader, in an air strike on the group’s underground headquarters near the capital, Beirut.

Hours after Israel claimed killing the 64-year-old Nasrallah on Saturday said its leader “has joined his fellow martyrs” and pledged it would “continue the holy war against the enemy and in support of Palestine” amid fears that a regional war is now inevitable.

Israel carried out a large strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday evening, which it said targeted the Hezbollah leader, flattening at least six residential buildings.

Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for more than three decades, was by far the most powerful target to be killed by Israel in weeks of intensified fighting with Hezbollah.

According to the United Nations, more than 50,000 people have fled Lebanon for Syria, as Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 700 people since Monday.

Israeli jets pounded south Beirut and its outskirts throughout the night into Saturday, in the most intense attacks on the Hezbollah stronghold since the group and Israel last went to war in 2006.

Nasrallah had rarely been seen in public since 2006. He was elected secretary-general of Hezbollah in 1992, aged 32, after an Israeli helicopter gunship killed his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi.

Hezbollah

The Lebanese group confirmed in a statement its leader had been killed “following the treacherous Zionist strike on the southern suburbs” of Beirut.

The group’s statement said Nasrallah had “joined his great and immortal martyred comrades, whose path he led for nearly 30 years, during which he led them from victory to victory”.

The group said it pledged “to the highest, most sacred and most precious martyr in our journey” to “continue its jihad in confronting the enemy, in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defence of Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people”.

Hamas

Hamas has condemned the killing of the Lebanese leader as “cowardly, terrorist act”.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this barbaric Zionist aggression and targeting of residential buildings,” the group said in a statement, accusing Israel of disregarding “all international values, customs and charters” and “blatantly threatening international security and peace, in light of silence, helplessness and international neglect”.

“In the face of this Zionist crime and massacre, we renew our absolute solidarity and stand united with the brothers in Hezbollah and the Islamic resistance in Lebanon,” the group said.

Fatah

The Palestinian Fatah movement also offered condolences and condemned the assassination, emphasizing “the historical relationship between the Lebanese people and their resistance and Palestine”.

Iran

Mourning Nasrallah’s killing, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a post on X that “the glorious path of the Resistance leader … will continue and his sacred goal of liberating Jerusalem will be achieved.”

Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif also expressed his condolences, praising Nasrallah as a “symbol of the fight against oppression”.

Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned what he called Israel’s “short-sighted” policy in the region.

“The massacre of the defenceless people in Lebanon once again… proved the short-sighted and stupid policy of the leaders of the usurping regime,” Khamenei said in a statement before Hezbollah officially announced its leader’s death.

Iraq

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the attack as “shameful” and “a crime that shows the Zionist entity has crossed all the red lines”.

In a statement, Sudani called Nasrallah “a martyr on the path of the righteous”.

The leader of the Sadrist movement in Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr, announced three days of mourning, writing on X: “Farewell to the companion of the path of resistance and defiance.”

Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s recent attacks in Lebanon as part of what he called an Israeli policy of “genocide, occupation, and invasion”, urging the UN Security Council and other bodies to stop Israel.

In a post on X, Erdogan, without naming Nasrallah, said Turkey stood with the Lebanese people and its government, offering his condolences for those killed in the Israeli strikes, while saying the Muslim world should show a more “determined” stance.

France

The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it is in contact with the Lebanese authorities and France’s partners in the region to prevent destabilization and conflagration.

The ministry also stressed that the security and protection of civilians must be guaranteed.

Courtesy: Al Jazeera 

 

Israel kills Hezbollah leader Nasrallah in Beirut

The Israeli military declared on Saturday that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed in an airstrike in Beirut on Friday.

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah and one of its founders, was eliminated together with Ali Karki, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, and additional Hezbollah commanders, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

Nasrallah, aged 64, was one of the founders and secretary general of Hezbollah. He has led Hezbollah for more than three decades. Nasrallah oversaw Hezbollah’s transformation into one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East.

Israeli Air Force jets conducted a targeted strike on the central headquarters of the Hezbollah, which was located underground embedded under a residential building in the area of Dahiyeh in Beirut,” the IDF said.

“The strike was conducted while Hezbollah’s senior chain of command were operating from the headquarters and advancing terrorist activities against the citizens of the State of Israel,” sources added.

Following the announcement, the army chief warned this is “not the end of our toolbox.” Israel has been escalating its attacks on Hezbollah.

Overnight, Israel launched further strikes on southern Lebanon, targeting what it says are stores of Hezbollah weapons. State-run media in Lebanon says there have been casualties.

Lebanon has recorded more than 100,000 people displaced by the recent conflict, but authorities said the true number is likely much higher. Up to half a million people are likely internally displaced, said Dr. Firass Abiad, Lebanon’s health minister.

Hezbollah began firing on northern Israel the day after Hamas’ October 07 attack on the country. Around 60,000 Israelis have been forced from their homes, whom the Israeli government has committed to returning.

Last week, Israel massively ramped up its military campaign against Hezbollah, killing hundreds and displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians, according to the Lebanese government. 

Mass Walkout as Global Pariah Addresses UNGA

The public rebuke of the Israeli prime minister demonstrates the international community's rejection of genocide in Gaza. A large number of diplomats and other officials walked out of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to defend his nation's slaughter of more than 41,000 people in the Gaza Strip during the past year and over 700 in Lebanon this week.

Journalists and critics of the "global pariah" shared photos and videos of people filing out of the hall before Netanyahu's address—which came just a day after 25 anti-genocide protesters were arrested for blocking his motorcade in Manhattan.

While there was some audience applause from the sparsely populated room on Friday, Al Jazeera Arabic's Rami Ayari explained that the people you hear cheering the PM during the speech are in the gallery who he brought for that purpose.

Council on American-Islamic Relations national executive director Nihad Awad said in a statement that as the far-right, openly racist Israeli government continues its genocide in Gaza and expands its campaign of state terrorism to civilians in Lebanon, this mass walkout during war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu's UN speech demonstrates the international community's rejection of genocide.

Awad added that US President Joe Biden should take note of our government's growing isolation on the international stage, change his policy, and support human rights and international law, without an exception for the Palestinian people.

Since Israeli forces launched their assault on Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led October 07 attack, the United States government has stood by Israel, sending billions of dollars in weapons and opposing UN resolutions, while claiming to be pushing for a cease-fire.

Addressing the General Assembly earlier this week, Biden called for "security for Israel, and Gaza free of Hamas' grip."

In response to diplomats' Friday walkout, Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft said, "The impunity Biden has offered Israel has been used by Netanyahu to make Israel an international pariah. Neither good for the US nor for Israel."

Parsi also highlighted a clip of Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob's speech to the UN, in which he urged Netanyahu to "stop this war now!"

Netanyahu began his Friday address by taking aim at the world leaders who throughout the week have condemned the recent escalation against Hezbollah in Lebanon as well as the past year of Israeli forces bombing and starving Palestinians in Gaza.

"I didn't intend to come here this year. My country is at war fighting for its life," Netanyahu said. "But, after I heard the lies and slanders leveled at my country by many of the speakers standing at this podium, I decided to come here and set the record straight."

Armed with more of his infamous maps of the Middle East, the right-wing leader went on to claim that "Israel seeks peace," while also pledging to wage war on Hamas-governed Gaza until "total victory" and telling "the tyrants of Tehran" that "if you strike us, we will strike you."

Noting that Netanyahu also spoke of "savage enemies who seek to destroy our common civilization," James Zogby, co-founder and president of the Arab American Institute said, "Words spoken by the man who has been charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. This is a disgrace. Abusing the General Assembly platform to lie and incite.

Israel faces a South Africa-led genocide case at the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court prosecutor has sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders—one of whom Israel recently assassinated in Iran. Israel also claims to have killed a second Hamas leader, which the group has denied.

Courtesy: Common Dreams

 

Europe’s answer to the Suez Canal

Work is finally underway on France’s Seine-Nord Europe Canal (SNEC), a major new European trading route that promises to boost the bloc’s economic fortunes.

When it is completed in 2030, the massive 107km infrastructure project will significantly increase the capacity for cheaper, faster and less polluting river trade between France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

As it stands, the smooth flow of commerce between the three nations is being frustrated by the limited capacity of the narrower Canal du Nord.

The antiquated river system struggles to cope with the new generation of super-sized cargo ships powering international trade.

Shipping mishaps and the sheer weight of traffic attempting to navigate a path through the canal create frustrating bottlenecks, costing European businesses valuable time and money.

Despite the urgent need for a new trading route and the canal project securing the green light in 2003, decades of political wrangling and disagreements around funding and the canal’s final route stalled progress, until now.

The SNEC is a €5.1 billion investment by the French government, local authorities, and the EU, in the region’s economic and environmental future.

Analysts suggest the new route could remove as many as a million heavy goods vehicles from France’s roads each year.

The size of the undertaking is staggering, involving as many as sixty bridges, three canal bridges, seven locks, and 700 hectares of environmental plantation.

Nicolas Ledoux, CEO of Arcadis France, which is leading the project said, “The Seine-Nord Europe Canal will not only enable a modal shift from the roadway to the river but will also create added economic, logistical, agricultural, and climatic value for the territories it crosses through.

“We are very proud to help promote river transport, a high-performing, environmentally friendly, and economical mode of transport that responds to the challenge of energy transition.”

The new 54-metre-wide canal will occupy a section of the Seine-Escaut waterway and create Europe’s first river network with the capacity to accommodate large ships.

It will connect the Seine basin to the main waterways of northern France and Europe.

Arcadis France believes the canal’s development will not only boost national economies but also stimulate growth in the local economies of the areas it passes through.

Green jobs will be created as the canal snakes through protected areas and the natural habitats of a range of species, requiring the construction of wildlife corridors and the planting of extensive environmental plantations.