Hamas confirms top commander killed in Israeli air strike A Hamas official has confirmed to the BBC that Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, the commander of the group's armed wing, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on Friday. The strike, which targeted a residential building known as Al-Mu'taz, marked another escalation in the ongoing conflict despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that took effect on October 10. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement accusing Haddad of being responsible for the murder, kidnapping, and injury of thousands of Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. They described him as "one of the architects of the October 7 massacre," referring to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Eyewitnesses reported that the strike occurred when three missiles were launched simultaneously from two directions, hitting the Al-Mu'taz building and igniting a large fire. Rescue teams faced significant challenges in evacuating the wounded, with one witness describing the removal of a body and several injured individuals from the site. A second air strike, targeting a car believed to be carrying Haddad after he was injured in the initial attack, killed three people. According to local sources, armed Hamas members in civilian clothing evacuated a severely wounded individual through a side entrance and placed him in a vehicle, which was later struck approximately 1.5 kilometers from the apartment block. Israeli officials stated that preliminary evidence suggested Haddad had been successfully targeted.#israeli_prime_minister_benjamin_netanyahu #hamas #israeli_defence_minister_israel_katz #al_mu_taz #gaza_city
Israel and Lebanon Ceasefire Talks Begin Amid Escalating Conflict Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that his government has directed cabinet members to initiate ceasefire talks with Lebanon “as soon as possible,” a day after Israel launched its most extensive attacks yet on the neighboring country. The strikes, which killed at least 300 people and injured 1,150, marked a significant escalation in the conflict. Netanyahu’s statement, posted on X in Hebrew, came amid repeated calls from Beirut for direct negotiations, though analysts caution that Israel’s continued military actions could undermine peace talks between the United States and Iran set to begin in Pakistan on Saturday. The attacks, which occurred without prior warnings, followed the announcement of a ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28. Despite the pause in hostilities, Israeli strikes persisted in Lebanon on Friday, albeit at a reduced pace. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, responded by launching missile attacks into Israel. Experts suggest that Wednesday’s attacks were strategically aimed at disrupting Tehran’s ceasefire negotiations with Washington, as Iran has emphasized that halting attacks on both Iran and Lebanon would be a prerequisite for any talks. The conflict has displaced over one million people in Lebanon, with thousands of civilians killed. Israel claims its operations in southern Lebanon are targeting Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, but the humanitarian toll has been severe. The Israeli military’s 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon from 1982, which preceded the formation of Hezbollah as a resistance movement, has left a lasting impact.#iran #hezbollah #israeli_prime_minister_benjamin_netanyahu #lebanese_prime_minister_joseph_aoun #israeli_army_chief_eyal_zamir
US to Hit Iran 'Twenty Times Harder' if Oil Flow Stops US President Donald Trump warned that his administration would respond "twenty times harder" to any disruption of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a potential escalation in tensions with Iran. The statement came amid ongoing military confrontations between the US, Israel, and Iran, with both sides accusing each other of escalating hostilities. Separately, Israel announced plans to strike Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, urging residents of Tyre and Sidon to evacuate areas near military infrastructure. The Israeli military warned that the strikes would target "military infrastructure belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah," as part of an ongoing campaign against the group. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his government's commitment to the offensive, stating that actions taken so far were "breaking the bones" of Iran's leadership. He emphasized that the goal was to "bring the Iranian people to cast off the yoke of tyranny," though he acknowledged the conflict was far from over. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for a missile attack on a US air base in northern Iraq, calling it the "headquarters of the invading US army" in the region. The attack, which was not confirmed by the US, followed reports of increased missile activity in the area. In response to the escalating conflict, Turkey deployed a US Patriot missile system to its southeastern province of Malatya, citing heightened threats from Iran. The move came after NATO intercepted a second ballistic missile launched from Iran into Turkish airspace, underscoring the regional instability.#iran #strait_of_hormuz #hezbollah #us_president_donald_trump #israeli_prime_minister_benjamin_netanyahu
Changing Face of the Middle East Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel, in coordination with the United States, had launched a joint military operation against Iran to neutralize what he called an existential threat. The campaign, referred to as “Operation Rising Lion,” was described as a decisive strike targeting Iran’s military infrastructure, including underground facilities, to prevent potential attacks on Israel and U.S. interests. Netanyahu emphasized that the operation was conducted with full understanding and support from U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he thanked for his leadership in addressing the Iranian threat. Netanyahu framed the strikes as a necessary measure to counter Iran’s growing military capabilities, which he claimed were being hidden in fortified underground sites to evade detection. He warned that if Iran succeeded in restoring these capabilities, it could pose a catastrophic risk to Israel and the global community. The prime minister stated that the operation was timed to preempt Iran’s plans, which he alleged included the development of atomic weapons and thousands of missiles capable of targeting Israel. In his remarks, Netanyahu highlighted the results of the first week of the campaign, asserting that the strikes had eliminated key Iranian leadership figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and destroyed hundreds of ballistic missile launchers. He argued that these actions had significantly reduced the threat to Israel and marked a turning point in the region’s power dynamics. “We have turned Israel into a regional power,” he said, adding that the operation was part of a broader strategy to reshape the Middle East following the October 7 attacks.#iran #united_states #israeli_prime_minister_benjamin_netanyahu #iranian_supreme_leader_ayatollah_khamenei #iranian_islamic_revolutionary_guard_corps
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue the war with Iran, declaring Israel had a "systematic plan to eradicate the Iranian regime," as Tehran refused to surrender. The pledge came amid escalating violence, with Iran launching waves of missiles and drones at Gulf neighbors while Israel and the U.S. conducted airstrikes targeting Iranian infrastructure. Netanyahu’s televised address on March 7, 2026, emphasized Israel’s determination to pursue the conflict "with all our force," despite Iran’s repeated retaliation. The attacks included a strike that set Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport ablaze and another targeting an oil depot. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they had struck a U.S. military base in Bahrain, accusing it of using the facility to attack an Iranian desalination plant. The conflict expanded beyond Iran, with Israel intensifying air strikes on Lebanon, where Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, operates. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that his country would face "a very heavy price" if it failed to disarm Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Israeli commandos launched an unsuccessful mission to retrieve the remains of a 1986 air force navigator, resulting in 41 civilian deaths in Nabi Sheet. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized for strikes on neighboring countries, attributing the attacks to "miscommunication," while also vowing to resist U.S. demands for "unconditional surrender." He accused Iran’s enemies of seeking to "take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves." The war, now in its second week, began after joint Israeli and U.S. strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.#hezbollah #iranian_president_masoud_pezeshkian #israeli_prime_minister_benjamin_netanyahu #iranian_revolutionary_guards #israeli_defense_minister_israel_katz
