On Friday, September 28th, after an Israeli airstrike on the Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, the White House stated that to enhance deterrence, U.S. President Biden has instructed the Pentagon to “assess and adjust American military posture in the Middle East as necessary.” The Israeli military confirmed that the airstrike killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah later confirmed that their leader had died.
The White House said Biden on Friday “repeatedly” received briefings on Middle East issues. An official added that Vice President Harris had also been briefed on the situation.
“He (Biden) has directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust American military posture in the region to enhance (U.S. forces’) deterrence, defense, and support of U.S. policy objectives,” the White House stated. “He (Biden) also directed his team to ensure all appropriate protective measures are in place for the U.S. embassy in the region.”
Israel, following an assessment of the airstrike, stated that the operation had killed Hezbollah leader Nasrallah. Hezbollah later confirmed this news.
Nasrallah’s death is not only a devastating blow to Hezbollah but also a significant setback for Iran, as it loses an influential ally. Nasrallah was a key figure in making Hezbollah Iran’s proxy in the Arab world.
In a statement, Hezbollah declared they would continue to fight against Israel, support Gaza and Palestine, and protect the people of Lebanon. The statement did not specify how Nasrallah was killed.
The Israeli military said on Saturday morning that Nasrallah was killed when Israeli forces targeted the underground Hezbollah headquarters beneath a residential building in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Israel condemned Hezbollah for deliberately establishing their terrorist headquarters below residential buildings in Beirut, using the Lebanese people as human shields as part of their strategy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that as long as Hezbollah threatens Israel from Lebanese territory, Israel has “no choice” but to retaliate. “Israel has every right to eliminate this threat and ensure our citizens can safely return home. This is what we are doing.”
In a series of escalating attacks in recent days, Israel has intensified its strikes against Hezbollah to eradicate the Iranian-backed militant group’s security threat against Israel. The United States has consistently supported Israel’s right to self-defense but has also urged Israel to pursue ceasefires in the conflict with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon to prevent a wider war in the Middle East.
On the second day of Hamas attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023, which led to approximately 60,000 Israeli civilians being displaced, Hezbollah, in support of Hamas, began launching attacks against Israel.
On Saturday, Israeli forces conducted further airstrikes in Dahiyeh and other areas in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued to launch rockets into Israel, triggering alarm sirens and causing Israeli residents to seek shelter. Israel’s missile defense system intercepted some of the rockets, and currently, there are no reports of casualties.
The recent days have seen Israel ramping up attacks on Hezbollah to eliminate the security threat posed by this Iranian-backed militant group. The U.S. has consistently backed Israel’s right to self-defense while also urging Israel to seek peace and ceasefire in its conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon to prevent a broader conflict in the Middle East.