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Israeli Army Adds Nasrallah to Its Assassination List

Nasrallah said in his first televised appearance after this week's electronic devices' attacks in Lebanon that Israel had dealt an "unprecedented" blow to his group, crossing all red lines with device explosions that killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days. (Photo by Al-Manar / AFP)
Nasrallah said in his first televised appearance after this week's electronic devices' attacks in Lebanon that Israel had dealt an "unprecedented" blow to his group, crossing all red lines with device explosions that killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days. (Photo by Al-Manar / AFP)
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Israeli Army Adds Nasrallah to Its Assassination List

Nasrallah said in his first televised appearance after this week's electronic devices' attacks in Lebanon that Israel had dealt an "unprecedented" blow to his group, crossing all red lines with device explosions that killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days. (Photo by Al-Manar / AFP)
Nasrallah said in his first televised appearance after this week's electronic devices' attacks in Lebanon that Israel had dealt an "unprecedented" blow to his group, crossing all red lines with device explosions that killed 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 over two days. (Photo by Al-Manar / AFP)

Israel has decided to increase pressure on Lebanon's Hezbollah through new "preemptive" attacks, aiming to either push the group toward a settlement in the north that would allow residents to return to their homes or to escalate into a full-scale war. Israeli reports hinted that entering into a comprehensive war would mean the assassination of Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, following the killing of two-thirds of the party’s central leadership.
An Israeli source told Yedioth Ahronoth that Israel, in this new phase, has decided to continue striking Hezbollah, adding: "There are no red lines, and the only goal now is the safe return of the residents to their homes, and we understand the costs involved in that."
These Israeli threats came after the assassination of Hezbollah's senior military official, Ibrahim Aqil, along with several members of the Radwan Force command, in a strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
According to the newspaper, Israel is ready for a full-scale war, and the ball is in Hezbollah's court. It added that Tel Aviv is still giving Nasrallah a chance to respond to the American mediation proposal for a settlement that would allow the return of residents to the north.
Israel’s intention to continue escalating against Hezbollah was highlighted by a strained call between Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron. Channel 12 reported that Macron had a tense conversation with Netanyahu, which was confirmed by Yedioth Ahronoth. The French president accused the Israeli premier of pushing the region toward war, insisting that Israel must take a diplomatic path. He added that this is the right moment to show leadership and responsibility.
Netanyahu responded by saying: “Instead of pressuring us, it’s time you put pressure and talk to Hezbollah. We will return our people to their homes, this is a decision we made this week, and we will carry it out.”
On Saturday, Israel raised the level of threats by broadcasting an image through the Israeli army indicating that Nasrallah is at the top of the assassination list. The army released a poster featuring the Hezbollah military leadership, showing the images of nine people, six of whom had been assassinated, including Ibrahim Aqil and senior leader Foad Shukr.
The three remaining on the assassination list are Nasrallah, Ali Karaki (commander of the southern front), and Abu Ali Reza (commander of the Badr Unit). According to Walla news agency, Israel’s intent is to force Hezbollah into a settlement and avoid a full-scale war. However, if such a war breaks out, Nasrallah will be in the crosshairs.

 

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Hundreds of Thousands Flee as Israel Seizes Rafah in New Gaza 'Security Zone'

A youth rides a bicycle as people commute along the al-Rashid road, the only route linking the northern and southern parts of the Palestinian territory, on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
A youth rides a bicycle as people commute along the al-Rashid road, the only route linking the northern and southern parts of the Palestinian territory, on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
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Hundreds of Thousands Flee as Israel Seizes Rafah in New Gaza 'Security Zone'

A youth rides a bicycle as people commute along the al-Rashid road, the only route linking the northern and southern parts of the Palestinian territory, on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
A youth rides a bicycle as people commute along the al-Rashid road, the only route linking the northern and southern parts of the Palestinian territory, on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)

Hundreds of thousands of fleeing Gazans sought shelter on Thursday in one of the biggest mass displacements of the war, as Israeli forces advanced into the ruins of the city of Rafah, part of a newly announced "security zone" they intend to seize.

A day after declaring their intention to capture large swathes of the crowded enclave, Israeli force pushed into the city on Gaza's southern edge which had served as a last refuge for people fleeing other areas for much of the war, reported Reuters.

Gaza's health ministry reported at least 97 people killed in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours, including at least 20 killed in an airstrike around dawn in Shejaia suburb of Gaza City.

Rafah "is gone, it is being wiped out," a father of seven among the hundreds of thousands who had fled from Rafah to neighboring Khan Younis, told Reuters via a chat app.

"They are knocking down what is left standing of houses and property," said the man who declined to be identified for fear of repercussions.

After a strike killed several people in Khan Younis, Adel Abu Fakher was checking the damage to his tent.

"Is anything left for us? There’s nothing left for us. We’re being killed while asleep," he said.

The assault to capture Rafah is a major escalation in the war, which Israel restarted last month after effectively abandoning a ceasefire in place since January.

GAZANS FEAR PERMANENT DEPOPULATION

Israel has not spelled out its longterm aims for the security zone its troops are now seizing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayahu said troops were taking an area he called the "Morag Axis", a reference to an abandoned former Israeli settlement once located between Rafah on Gaza's southern edge and the adjacent main southern city Khan Younis.

Gazans who had returned to homes in the ruins during the ceasefire have now been ordered to flee communities on the northern and southern edges of the strip.

They fear that Israel's intention is to depopulate those areas indefinitely, leaving many hundreds of thousands of people permanently homeless in one of the poorest and most crowded territories on earth. The security zone includes some of Gaza's last agricultural land and critical water infrastructure.

Since the first phase of the ceasefire expired at the start of March with no agreement to prolong it, Israel has imposed a total blockade on all goods reaching Gaza's 2.3 million residents, recreating what international organizations describe as a humanitarian catastrophe after weeks of relative calm.

Israel's stated goal since the start of the war has been the destruction of the Hamas group which ran Gaza for nearly two decades and led the attack on Israeli communities in October 2023 that precipitated the war.

But with no effort made to establish an alternative administration, Hamas-led police returned to the streets during the ceasefire. Fighters still hold 59 dead and living hostages which Israel says must be handed over to extend the truce; Hamas says it will free them only under a deal that ends the war.

Israeli leaders say they have been encouraged by signs of protest in Gaza against Hamas, with hundreds of people demonstrating in north Gaza's Beit Lahiya on Wednesday opposing the war and demanding Hamas quit power. Hamas calls the protesters collaborators and says Israel is behind them.

The war began with a Hamas attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023 with gunmen killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Israel's campaign has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities say.

Rafah residents said most of the local population had followed Israel's order to leave, as Israeli strikes toppled buildings there. But a strike on the main road between Khan Younis and Rafah stopped most movement between the two cities.

Movement of people and traffic along the western coastal road near Morag was also limited by bombardment, said residents.

"Others stayed because they don't know where to go, or got fed up of being displaced several times. We are afraid they might be killed or at best detained," said Basem, a resident of Rafah who declined to give a second name.

Markets have emptied and prices for basic necessities have soared under Israel's total blockade of food, medicine and fuel.

The Palestinian Health Ministry, which is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank but has nominal authority over hospitals in Gaza, said Gaza's entire healthcare system was at risk of collapse.