‘We have no option but resistance,’ says Hezbollah official after deadly strikes on the Bekaa | LIVE

Hezbollah holds funerals in Baalbeck for Hussein Yaghi and Hussein Siblani

Photo provided by Hezbollah’s press office

Hezbollah organized the funerals late in the afternoon for two of its fighters killed in the previous day’s Israeli strikes. In Baalbeck, the party paid tribute to military commander Hussein Yaghi as well as Hussein Siblani.

Participants carried the two coffins, draped in Hezbollah flags, in a large public procession during which Lebanese and Hezbollah flags were raised, alongside portraits of leaders and fighters who had been killed.

The funeral prayer was led by Jaafarite Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Kabalan, who denounced what he described as the authorities’ “submissive political decisions” in the face of Israeli attacks, which he called “the primary danger” to the country. He nevertheless stressed that “the Lebanese army is a sovereign partner of the resistance and a strategic pillar of Lebanon’s strength.” He also stated that the resistance’s capabilities constitute “the force that protects Lebanon.”

Qomati: “We have no option but resistance”

Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of Hezbollah’s political bureau, called for “resistance,” which he described as the party-militia’s only option following the deadly overnight strikes on the Bekaa.

“What other option do we have to defend ourselves … to defend our land, to defend our homeland? What other option do we have besides resistance? We have none,” Qomati said in a speech delivered during a sit-in in Beirut.

“Our prisoners will not remain in prison, and the occupation of our land will not continue,” he added, referring to the roughly twenty Lebanese detainees still held by Israel and to the occupation of six positions in Lebanese territory by the Israeli army.

“Is the state now convinced that diplomacy and international relations are of no use?” he further criticized.

Hezbollah officially announces the death of eight of its members “in the treacherous attack on the Bekaa”

Hezbollah officially released the names of its eight members killed in the Bekaa overnight: Hussein Yaghi, the son of one of the party’s founders; Mohammad Moussaoui; Ali Moussaoui; Hussein Alaeddine; Ahmad Hajj Hassan; Hachem Mahdi; Ahmad Zeaïter; and Hussein Siblani.

For each, the party published a portrait and a brief statement announcing that they had “fallen as martyrs, sacrificing themselves for Lebanon and its people, in the treacherous Israeli attack on the Bekaa.”

Hezbollah MP calls for suspension of “Mechanism” meetings

MP Rami Abou Hamdan, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, called this morning for the suspension of meetings of the cease-fire monitoring committee, the “Mechanism” — which includes the United States, France, Lebanon, Israel and the United Nations — “until the enemy puts an end to its attacks.”

He said that the party “will not accept that the authorities behave as mere political analysts,” denouncing what he described as an attitude of “downplaying” Israeli attacks. He argued that “condemnations and denunciations are no longer enough,” calling on the authorities to adopt “a radical change” in the way they defend the country.

For his part, the vice president of the Higher Shiite Council (HSC), Sheikh Ali al-Khatib, denounced “the continuation of a policy of extermination carried out by the Zionist entity against our resilient people.” He said that “national unity constitutes the most appropriate response.” Sheikh el-Khatib also welcomed President Aoun’s “immediate position” following the strikes and called on the government to “activate its diplomatic efforts on all international levels and at the United Nations, even if only to file a complaint against Israel before the Security Council.”

The strikes on the Bekaa targeted “members of Hezbollah’s missile unit,” according to the Israeli army

The Israeli army stated that, in the previous day’s strikes in the Bekaa, it had targeted and eliminated “members of Hezbollah’s missile unit,” according to its new Arabic-language spokesperson, Ella Waouia, in a post on X.

According to her, the fighters who were killed “had recently been observed accelerating their arming and preparation phases and were planning to carry out missile launches toward Israeli territory, as well as advance terrorist projects threatening army forces and Israeli civilians.”

The army further accused this Hezbollah unit of “currently planning” rocket and missile launches toward Israel.

Funeral in Ain al-Hilweh for the two victims of the previous day’s Israeli strike

The funeral procession for the two victims of the Israeli strike that targeted the Ain al-Hilweh camp in Saida, southern Lebanon, yesterday has begun, according to our correspondent. The two people killed were members of Hamas, identified as Bilal al-Khatib and Mohammad al-Saoui. The coffins are draped in the Palestinian flag.

Jamaa Islamiya condemns yesterday’s Israeli attacks

Jamaa Islamiya said in a statement that it condemns the “Zionist aggression against the Ain al-Hilweh camp, which caused deaths and injuries among civilians,” stating that it is part of the continuation of “ongoing crimes against Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank.”

The movement added that “targeting civilians in their homes and in densely populated areas constitutes a dangerous escalation.” It called on the government to “pressure” Israel to “respect the agreement” and urged the executive to “ensure the protection of Lebanese citizens and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.”

An Israeli army drone dropped a stun grenade on the “Kouroum al-Sharki” neighborhood, east of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun district), without causing any casualties, reports our correspondent in the South.

Strikes on the Bekaa: children and Syrian and Ethiopian nationals among the injured in Riyak

According to Dr. Ali Abdallah, director general of Riyak Hospital, the strikes on the Bekaa left at least around twenty people injured, including a Syrian woman, a concierge, and an Ethiopian woman. He told our reporter on site that the strike occurred shortly after iftar, the meal that breaks the fast.

“We received the injured and victims within an hour; it reminded us of the last war, even though it has nothing to do with the pagers,” he said, referring to the Israeli operation of Sep. 16 and 17, 2024, when thousands of Hezbollah communication devices that had been rigged exploded simultaneously.

Eight Hezbollah members killed in the bombardments on the Bekaa

According to a party official contacted by AFP, the strikes in the East killed eight Hezbollah members. The toll from the strikes on the Bekaa, according to the Ministry of Health, stands at 10 dead and around thirty injured, including three children.

The Israeli army had stated it targeted “command centers” of the group.

Hezbollah announces the death of several of its members in the Bekaa strikes

Following the strikes on the Bekaa, Hezbollah announced the deaths of several of its members. It confirmed the deaths of Hussein Mohammad Yaghi, the son of one of the founders of the Shiite party; Ali Zeid Moussaoui, originally from Nabi Chit; Mohammad Ibrahim Moussaoui, also from Nabi Chit; Kassem Ali Mahdi, from Ali el-Nahri; Hassanein Yasser el-Siblani, from Baalbek; and Ahmad Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, originally from Shaat.

Friday’s Israeli strikes aim to sabotage ongoing diplomatic efforts

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned this morning the deadly Israeli attacks targeting the Bekaa and Ain al-Hilweh, denouncing a “blatant aggression aimed at undermining the diplomatic efforts” of Lebanon and “friendly countries” to put an end to Israeli attacks.

He added that “these strikes represent a new violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a flagrant breach of international commitments, reflecting disregard for the will of the international community, particularly United Nations resolutions calling for respect for Resolution 1701 and its implementation in all its provisions.”

The head of state finally renewed his call on countries guaranteeing stability in the region to “assume their responsibilities to immediately halt the aggressions and exert pressure for respect of international resolutions, in order to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, its security and territorial integrity, and to avoid a new escalation of tensions in the region.”

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the situation in the Middle East, and particularly in Lebanon, the day after Israeli strikes targeted the Bekaa and the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh, near Saida, yesterday. These strikes killed at least 12 people. We will also follow developments in tensions between the United States and Iran.