Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue military operations in Gaza and Lebanon following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, dashing hopes for a ceasefire in the region. Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023, attack that triggered Israel's war with Hamas, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on Wednesday. Despite calls from Western leaders for peace, Netanyahu insisted that the war will not end until hostages held by Hamas are freed and Israel's broader objectives are met.
"The war, my dear ones, is not yet over," Netanyahu declared late Thursday, signaling that Israeli military operations will continue. He emphasized the opportunity to dismantle what he called the "axis of evil," referring to Iran and its allied militant groups in Gaza, Lebanon, and across the region. His comments were a direct rejection of diplomatic efforts led by the United States to broker a ceasefire and release hostages taken by Hamas during the October attack.
The U.S. had viewed Sinwar's death as a potential turning point in the conflict. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Sinwar had been a key obstacle to ceasefire negotiations. "That obstacle has obviously been removed," Miller noted, though he cautioned that it was unclear whether Sinwar's replacement would engage in peace talks.
However, any optimism quickly faded as Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon, responded to Sinwar's death with a vow to escalate its attacks on Israel. In a statement on Thursday, Hezbollah declared a "new and escalating phase" in its conflict with Israel, signaling the use of precision-guided missiles against Israeli forces for the first time since Israel's ground invasion into southern Lebanon last month. The group promised further attacks in the coming days, preparing to counter Israeli incursions into southern Lebanese villages.
Since October 8, Hezbollah has been firing rockets at Israeli targets in support of Hamas, intensifying Israel's military response in Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes have targeted Hezbollah's leadership and military infrastructure, killing more than 200 Hezbollah operatives and senior officials, according to Israeli defense sources. Among the high-profile casualties was Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an airstrike on September 27, followed by the death of his intended successor, Hashem Safieddine, in a subsequent strike.
The killing of Sinwar, who led Hamas since the assassination of former political chief Ismail Haniyeh in July, marked a significant milestone for Israel's military. Sinwar was believed to have been hiding in Gaza's complex network of tunnels, which Hamas has used for decades to evade Israeli forces. Israeli military officials said they tracked and killed Sinwar during a gun battle, later releasing drone footage showing the Hamas leader in his final moments. Though Hamas has not officially commented, sources within the group indicated that Sinwar's death was confirmed.
Sinwar was held responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attacks in southern Israel, which left 1,200 people dead and sparked Israel's retaliatory invasion of Gaza. Since the conflict began, more than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Palestinian health officials. The war has also expanded to Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced 1.2 million.
Despite Israel's success in decapitating the leadership of Hamas and Hezbollah, the death of Sinwar has not brought the expected cessation of hostilities. "We had hoped... that getting rid of Sinwar would be the turning point where the wars would end," a senior diplomat working in Lebanon told Reuters. "It appears we were once again mistaken."
The conflict has now extended beyond Hamas and Hezbollah, marking the first direct confrontations between Israel and Iran. Iranian forces launched missile attacks on Israel in April and again in October. Netanyahu has pledged to retaliate against these strikes, though U.S. officials have pressed Israel to avoid targeting sensitive Iranian infrastructure, including energy and nuclear facilities.
Iran has shown no signs of retreat in its support for Hamas and Hezbollah. In a statement, Iran's mission to the United Nations said, "The spirit of resistance will be strengthened" in response to Sinwar's killing. Hezbollah echoed this defiance, signaling that it was prepared for further escalation in its war with Israel.
As the conflict deepens, the fate of Israeli hostages remains a pressing issue. Families of those held captive by Hamas expressed mixed feelings about Sinwar's death. Avi Marciano, whose daughter Noa was killed while in Hamas captivity, told Israeli broadcaster KAN, "The monster... finally met the gates of hell," referring to Sinwar. However, families emphasized that the conflict would not be over until all hostages are returned safely.
