JERUSALEM (AFP) — About 90 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel Wednesday, after an Israeli strike killed a senior Hezbollah commander in south Lebanon the previous day.
Israel’s military said in a statement, that several projectiles were intercepted but others struck inside northern Israel sparking fires in some areas.
The Iran-backed militant group said in a statement that the slain commander was Sami Abdallah, also known as Abu Taleb, born in 1969.
A Lebanese military source said the commander was “the most important in Hezbollah to be killed up to now since the start of the war” between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, which has fueled violence on the Lebanon-Israel border.
The source said the strike hit the town of Jouaiyya, 15 kilometers from the Israeli border, and also killed three other people.
Meanwhile, Hamas gave its official response to the latest truce proposal for Gaza on Tuesday, calling for a “complete halt” to Israeli “aggression” as fighting raged in the Palestinian territory.
“The response prioritizes the interests of our Palestinian people and emphasizes the necessity of a complete halt to the ongoing aggression on Gaza,” Hamas said in a joint statement with Islamic Jihad.
A source with knowledge of the talks said Hamas proposed amendments to the plan, including a ceasefire timeline and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Talks were expected to continue via Qatari and Egyptian mediators, coordinated with the United States.
Hamas’ response came after United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushed the group to accept the deal during his eighth Middle East tour since the 7 October attack on Israel sparked the war.
During his visit, Blinken said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “reaffirmed his commitment” to the proposed six-week ceasefire, which was also backed by a UN Security Council vote.
“Everyone has said yes, except for Hamas,” Blinken said. “And if Hamas doesn’t say yes, then this is clearly on them.”
Blinken then attended a summit in Jordan, alongside leaders from the Arab world and beyond, addressing Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
The Israeli siege has left Gaza’s 2.4 million people without adequate food, clean water, medicines and fuel, pushing many to the brink of starvation. Only occasional aid shipments provide temporary relief.