Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group announced on Friday that it is entering a new, more intense phase in its conflict with Israel, escalating tensions further. This statement followed the confirmed killing of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ top leader, during an Israeli military operation in Gaza earlier this week. Sinwar was the orchestrator behind the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, a pivotal event in the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Sinwar’s death, confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, marked a significant moment in Israel’s year-long battle against Hamas. However, Netanyahu emphasized that the war would persist until all hostages taken by Hamas were returned to Israel. “Today, we have settled the score… but our task is not complete,” Netanyahu said, reaffirming Israel’s commitment to its military campaign.

Sinwar, appointed Hamas’ overall leader after the July assassination of political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, had been hiding in Gaza’s intricate tunnel network. Israeli forces, initially unaware of his identity, encountered and killed Sinwar during a gun battle in southern Gaza on Wednesday. Footage released by the Israeli military showed a figure believed to be Sinwar, covered in dust amid the ruins of a destroyed building.