Israeli military actions against Hamas and Hezbollah have dealt a severe blow to these two armed organizations. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated on Sunday (October 27) that Iran can no longer effectively use its proxies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon to confront Israel.
Gallant, speaking at a commemoration ceremony in Jerusalem, said, “Over the past year, the security apparatus led by the Israel Defense Forces has reversed the course of war, achieving unprecedented successes in all combat arenas.”
“In the south, Hamas can no longer operate as a military entity; in the north, Hezbollah continues to be beaten, with its command chain being dismantled and most of its missile and rocket capabilities destroyed,” Gallant said.
He added that Hamas and Hezbollah, “long seen as Iran’s extended arms for countering Israel, are no longer an effective tool.”
As negotiations on hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza kick off in Qatar, Gallant said, “We know that some objectives cannot be achieved solely through military actions, therefore, we must fulfill our moral obligation to bring our hostages home, even if it involves painful compromises.”
In the past few weeks, Israel’s intensive airstrikes on Hezbollah have shattered the organization’s command structure. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed, followed by his potential successor Hashem Safieddine and intelligence headquarters commander Ali Hussein Hazima in Israeli airstrikes. Additionally, several Hezbollah commanders have been eliminated by the Israeli military.
Meanwhile, Israel has not eased its strikes on Hamas, successfully killing Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar’s death dealt another deadly blow to the Palestinian armed group. Previously, Israel had taken out several Hamas commanders and the organization’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
On July 31, Haniyeh was assassinated in a guesthouse in Tehran where he was staying. Hamas and Iran accused Israel of carrying out the assassination.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly warned Iran and its proxies, stating, “Whoever attacks us, we will attack them.”
In the early hours of Saturday (October 26), Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, destroying several military facilities. This action was a response to Iran’s attack on Israel on October 1.