Hezbollah Leader Vows to Avenge Commander

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has declared that his group will retaliate against Israel "regardless of the consequences" in response to the assassination of top commander Fuad Shukr. In a speech commemorating Shukr, Nasrallah emphasized that keeping Israelis in suspense is part of their punishment, stating, "Their government, their army, their society, their settlements and their occupiers are all waiting." This declaration comes amid heightened tensions, marked by Israeli jets conducting operations over Beirut, which were felt by a CNN team on the ground. The situation escalated on Tuesday when Hezbollah launched a series of drones targeting military sites in northern Israel, resulting in injuries, including a serious case in Nahariya. The Israeli Defense Forces reported intercepting one drone and retaliated by striking a building in southern Lebanon, which they claimed was used by Hezbollah, leading to the deaths of five individuals. The region is now on high alert for potential responses from both Hezbollah and Iran, particularly following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has vowed a "painful" response to Haniyeh's killing, further complicating the already volatile situation. In a related incident, rockets targeting Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq injured several U.S. personnel, prompting Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to deploy additional military resources to the Middle East. Global diplomatic efforts are intensifying, with officials, including the Jordanian foreign minister and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, seeking to de-escalate tensions. An extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers from Islamic countries, including Iran, is scheduled in Jeddah to address the assassination of Haniyeh, highlighting the urgent need for dialogue amid rising hostilities.