Israel claims it killed Hezbollah's next top leader

Israel’s military claimed that it had killed Hashem Safieddine, who was named as the successor of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

According to news reports today, the Israeli military said Safieddine (above) was killed in an airstrike nearly three weeks ago in Beirut.

Hezbollah has not confirmed Safieddine’s death.

Its previous leader, Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut on Sept 27.

CNN reported that the Israeli military had also killed Khalil Mohammed Amhaz, a prominent drone operative for Hezbollah.

Described as a “critical figure” in Hezbollah’s aerial unit with expertise in drone warfare died in an airstrike in eastern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has not commented on this as well.

The Israeli military previously said it had killed three Hezbollah commanders in the Jibchit, Jouaiya, and Qana areas in southern Lebanon over the last two days.

Hezbollah has not commented on those deaths.

Airstrike on hospital

In an earlier report, the Lebanese Health Ministry said at least 18 people, including four children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike near Lebanon’s largest public hospital in southern Beirut.

A BBC report quoted the ministry as stating that another 60 people were injured when at least three buildings about 50m from Rafik Hariri University Hospital were destroyed in the Jnah neighbourhood on Monday night.

“The health ministry said the attack - one of at least 13 reported across the capital - caused significant damage to the hospital,” it added.

However, the Israeli military said it hit a "Hezbollah terrorist target" near the hospital but did not provide details. It also insisted that the hospital was not targeted.

In Gaza, Al Jazeera reported that the war has set back development indicators such as health and education by nearly 70 years.

It quoted a UN Development Programme (UNDP) stating that the overall Palestinian economy is now 35 percent smaller compared with a year ago at the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

“The UNDP research showed the Human Development Index for Gaza, a measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development, is projected to drop to a level estimated for 1955, erasing over 69 years of progress,” it added.

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