Iran says US ‘complicit’ in Israeli strikes on Lebanon and use of 5,000-pound bunker buster bombs
- In Reports
- 09:40 PM, Sep 28, 2024
- Myind Staff
Iran has condemned the United States for its alleged complicity in the recent Israeli strikes on Gaza and Lebanon. Tehran has accused Israel of using U.S.-supplied 5,000-pound bunker-buster bombs in attacks on residential areas in Beirut. Iran claims these bombs were “gifted” by the U.S. to Israel.
In response, the U.S. denied having prior knowledge of the strikes. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in the strikes, which targeted and destroyed six buildings.
“Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world,” it said in a post on X.
The Israeli military has announced the killing of Muhammad Ali Ismail, the commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit, along with his deputy, Hossein Ahmed Ismail, in southern Lebanon.
“Muhammad Ali Ismail, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Missile Unit in southern Lebanon, and his deputy, Hussein Ahmad Ismail, were eliminated in a precise IAF strike. Ali Ismail was responsible for directing numerous terrorist attacks against the State of Israel, including the firing of rockets toward Israeli territory and the launch of a surface-to-surface missile toward central Israel on Wednesday. This follows the elimination of the terrorist Ibrahim Muhammad Qabisi, Head of Hezbollah’s Missiles and Rockets Force, as well as other senior commanders of this unit,” IDF said in a post on X.
The Lebanese health ministry reported that Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of more than six people and left 91 others injured.
Following the strikes, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that “Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world.” Earlier reports from Israeli media had indicated that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
However, Israel has not officially confirmed Nasrallah’s death. In the aftermath of the strikes, communications with the Hezbollah leader were lost, and he remains unreachable.
Iranian Foreign Minister condemned the United States for supporting Israel by “gifting” it with bombs that were used to target residential buildings in Beirut.
“Just this morning, the Israeli regime used several 5,000-pound bunker busters that had been gifted to them by the United States to hit residential areas in Beirut," Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told the UNSC.
“One cannot disregard the US complicity in the crime," he added.
As a reaction for the statement, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said, “We had no advance warning. My call with Minister Gallant took place while the operation was actually already underway.
“As you know, this operation took place just a couple of hours ago, and they’re still making assessments. I don’t have any further information or specifics to provide you at this time,” he added.
The White House announced that President Joe Biden has directed adjustments to U.S. forces in the Middle East “as necessary” in response to Israel’s series of airstrikes on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon.
“He has directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust as necessary US force posture in the region to enhance deterrence ensure force protection, and support the full range of US objectives,” the statement said.
Further, he asked the US embassies to “take all protective measures as appropriate.”
The Iranian president condemned the Israeli strikes, describing them as a “flagrant war crime.”
“The attacks perpetrated … by the Zionist regime in the Dahiya neighbourhood of Beirut constitute a flagrant war crime that has revealed once again the nature of this regime’s state terrorism,” Masoud Pezeshkian said in a statement as reported by IRNA.
Meanwhile, Israel stated that it would not permit Iran to supply arms to Hezbollah through the Beirut airport.
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