The Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said on October 18 it was moving to a "new and escalating phase" in its war against Israel, while Iran said that "the spirit of resistance will be strengthened" after the killing of Yahya Sinwar, a leader of Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group by the U.S. and the EU. Sinwar, a mastermind of the October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Gaza war, was killed during an operation by Israeli soldiers in Gaza on October 17. Iran indicated no sign the killing would shift its support. "The spirit of resistance will be strengthened" following the death of Sinwar, its mission to the United Nations said. Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party, was also defiant, announcing "the transition to a new and escalating phase in the confrontation with Israel."
Hezbollah Says It Will Escalate War With Israel After Hamas Leader Killed
A civil defense member of the Islamic Health Authority walks at a site damaged in an Israeli strike in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, on October 16.