Iran’s mission to the United Nations warned on Thursday that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces would only strengthen regional resistance movements, hours after Israel confirmed Sinwar’s death. Meanwhile, Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group, declared a shift to a more aggressive phase in its ongoing conflict with Israel.
Sinwar, who orchestrated the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the current Israel-Hamas war, was killed by Israeli forces during a firefight in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah on October 17, 2024. Israeli authorities confirmed his death a day later. Sinwar was reportedly found with a large sum of cash and forged documents, including a UNRWA teacher’s passport, as he attempted to flee Israeli forces advancing on the area.
Some of the Items that were found on the Body of Yahya Sinwar, including an AK-47, a Vest with several Grenades, Mentos, Cash, as well as multiple Passports and IDs; with one of the IDs belonging to a UNRWA Teacher. pic.twitter.com/FELUtzvcFY
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2024
In a statement, Iran compared Sinwar to figures like Saddam Hussein, asserting that Sinwar’s defiance on the battlefield would inspire future generations to continue resisting Israeli occupation. “The spirit of resistance will be strengthened,” the statement said.
Khalil al-Hayya, the Qatar-based deputy of Sinwar and the head of Hamas’ delegation in recent ceasefire negotiations mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, declared that Hamas would not release any prisoners until the “aggression on Gaza” ends and Israeli forces withdraw from the region. Following Sinwar’s death, Hamas released a statement praising him as a martyr who died “advancing and not retreating” while confronting Israeli forces.
At the same time, Hezbollah’s leadership declared a “new and escalatory phase” in its conflict with Israel, announcing that it had deployed precision-guided missiles for the first time in attacks on Israeli forces.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated that Israeli forces had killed approximately 1,500 Hezbollah operatives since launching their military campaign in the region. He emphasized that Hezbollah’s leadership was collapsing under the pressure of Israeli strikes.
Halevi also noted that Hezbollah forces had begun surrendering, suggesting that morale within the group was declining. He indicated that Iran, Hezbollah’s primary backer, was struggling to comprehend the scale of the damage inflicted on its key regional ally.
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