In Dahiya, the southern suburb of Beirut, the stronghold of Hezbollah, a large crowd dressed in black attended the funeral of Fouad Shukr. The most high-profile members of Israel’s assassinations.
They carried placards bearing Shoukr’s face, waved yellow and green Hezbollah flags and chanted some of the group’s slogans, sometimes raising their fists.
According to the Israeli military, Shook was the mastermind behind a missile attack on a football stadium in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday that killed 12 children and teenagers. Hezbollah denied involvement, although it initially claimed it had struck a nearby military base, raising the possibility that the missile failed to hit its intended target.
Shoukr, also known as al-Hajj Mohsin, is said to be a close adviser to Hezbollah’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Nasrallah gave a televised speech as crowds gathered, with scrutiny on what Hezbollah’s next steps might be.
He said at an undisclosed location that the conflict with Israel had entered a “new phase”, something he always does for security reasons. ”, adding that Israel’s response would be proportionate to attacks on civilian buildings.
His tone seemed to suggest the group remained uninterested in another major war with Israel. But some worry they could get caught up in it.
“I’m not afraid of war. We are ready for whatever Sheikh Nasrallah decides to do,” one man in the crowd told me. Asked if he believed Hezbollah would retaliate for the killings, another said “Allah willing,” meaning God willing.
Tuesday’s killing of Shook – an attack that killed six other people, including two young siblings – has reignited fears that a relatively limited conflict between Hezbollah and Israel could escalate into a full-scale war, with some Possibly sweeping the entire Middle East.
Hezbollah said its activities began the day after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and were aimed at supporting Palestinians in Gaza. Most of the group’s attacks, and Israel’s counterattacks, have been limited to areas along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has long been viewed by Israel as a more powerful enemy than Hamas. The group has an increasingly sophisticated arsenal, including attack drones and precision-guided missiles capable of penetrating deep into Israel.
The conflict with Hezbollah could involve other Iran-backed groups in the region, members of Tehran’s so-called “axis of resistance” such as the Houthis in Yemen or militias in Iraq.
Iran also vowed to respond Assassination of Ismail HaniyehA Hamas political leader was killed on Wednesday while visiting Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president.
Iran and Hamas blame Israel, but Israel remains silent. The killing dealt a blow to the chances of success in ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Gaza for a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The main hope is to ease tensions with Hezbollah, and diplomatic efforts continue to try to defuse the situation.
The Israeli military said it was ready for any scenario and that the country was preparing for a possible response to the two assassinations.
As expected, Nasrallah’s speech contained sharp remarks against Israel but did not appear to suggest that a larger war was imminent.
