Amid ceasefire, Israel claims Hezbollah chief, his personal adviser killed: report

Israel claimed that they had allegedly killed Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem and his personal secretary Ali Yusuf Harshi in the overnight strike on Beirut, amid the ceasefire announced by the US-Iran, as per reports.

In a massive escalation, Israel launched a deadly assault on Lebanon, killing at least 250 people just hours after a ceasefire was announced on Wednesday.

The strikes, carried out without any prior warning, targeted the Lebanese capital Beirut, triggering panic among residents who had just begun celebrating the ceasefire. In these strikes, Israel claimed that they successfully killed Hezbollah chief Naim Qaseem and his nephew who is also  personal secretary Ali Yusuf Harshi, as per the reports.

Israel clarified that the ceasefire agreement involving the United States and Iran did not include Lebanon. This position was backed by US President Donald Trump, who stated that there was no agreement with Hezbollah and that the deal was strictly with Iran. He added that sporadic attacks in Lebanon were not unusual. 

Notably, Israel had killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in 2024, marking a major blow to the group.

Due to this major escalation in Lebanon, Iran announced the closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, halting tanker movement through one of the world’s most critical oil chokepoints.

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