Killing Hezbollah commanders will not defeat group, Iran says

Funeral of Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Qubaiesi and Hussein Hani Izzeddin, who were killed in Israeli attack, held in Dahieh region of Beirut, Lebanon on September 25, 2024 [Shbaro/Anadolu Agency]

Killing Hezbollah commanders will not bring the group to its knees, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said yesterday after Israel hit senior figures in the movement during days of devastating air strikes across Lebanon, Reuters reported.

“The organisational strength and human resources of Hezbollah is very strong and will not be critically hit by the killing of a senior commander, even if that is clearly a loss,” Khamenei said.

505 Hezbollah members have been killed in fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah on the Lebanese border since 8 October, 2023 [Murat Usubali/Anadolu Agency]

Israel’s new strikes against Lebanon have killed more than 620 people since Monday, according to Lebanon’s health minister. The bombing campaign is the worst attack launched by Israel in almost two decades.

The “Palestinian and Lebanese resistance will have the final victory,” Khamenei said, accusing Israel of killing civilians because it was unable to defeat its foes.

Khamenei blamed Washington for the escalation in Lebanon, “the US both knows and interferes,” Khamenei said, adding that President Joe Biden’s administration “needs a victory for the Zionist regime” before a presidential election in November.

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