Hezbollah continues rocket assault on Israel, vows unrelenting pressure

Hezbollah launched another barrage of rockets into Israel on Tuesday, with its acting leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, pledging to maintain the pressure that has displaced tens of thousands of Israelis near the Lebanese border.

Kassem stated that Hezbollah’s military capabilities remain intact despite weeks of intense Israeli airstrikes. “We have replaced all of our senior commanders,” he said, adding that Israeli forces have failed to advance since launching a ground incursion into Lebanon.

The Israeli military reported deploying additional ground troops to southern Lebanon and confirmed the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in an airstrike. Hezbollah fired several rounds of rockets, reaching as far south as Haifa, prompting the Israeli government to warn residents north of the city to limit activities and close schools.

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In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Hezbollah as “weaker than it has been for many, many years.” He added, “We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself, and Nasrallah’s replacement, and the replacement of his replacement.”

Netanyahu’s remarks come after the death of Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike last month. Speculation surrounds the succession, with Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s cousin, considered the likely heir. However, no official announcement has been made.

The Israeli military reported dismantling militant infrastructure and killing hundreds of Hezbollah fighters. The conflict’s toll climbed to more than 1,300 and over a million displaced since the fighting escalated in mid-September.