Israel kills Hezbollah commander as Blinken visits region to stave off broader conflict

Geoff Bennett:

As Israel's offensive in Gaza continues, a new front is heating up on the country's northern border.

Amna Nawaz:

Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have been trading fire, and, this morning, an Israeli strike killed one of Hezbollah's high-ranking members, all this as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels again to the region, hoping to keep the conflict from spreading.

William Brangham reports.

William Brangham:

While visiting his troops along the northern border with Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hezbollah that today's targeted killing could be just the beginning.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (through interpreter):

We will do everything to restore security to the north. We gave Hezbollah an example of what is happening to his friends in the south. This is what will happen here in the north.

William Brangham:

This comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes his fourth visit to the region.

As Blinken left Saudi Arabia for Israel, he spoke with reporters.

Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State: It's clearly not in the interest of anyone, Israel, Lebanon, Hezbollah, for that matter, to see this escalate and to see an actual conflict.

William Brangham:

President Biden was in South Carolina today when protesters interrupted him, calling for a cease-fire.

Protester:

Cease-fire now!

William Brangham:

Biden was attending a memorial event for the 2015 Charleston church shooting.

Joe Biden , President of the United States: I have been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza.

William Brangham:

Israeli forces continue their operation in South and Central Gaza, but say they are done with major combat in Northern Gaza.

Mark Regev, Senior Adviser to Israeli Prime Minister: It might not be the end, but it could be the beginning of the end, because we are seeing the destruction of Hamas' military machine in the Northern Gaza Strip.

William Brangham:

But as the war rages on, Palestinians are left with nowhere to go but south to Rafah. Even from the wreckage left by another Israeli airstrike, food is too precious to leave behind.

Mohammed Al-Qassas, Displaced Palestinian (through interpreter):

We heard a big explosion and, when we got there we found the car as you see it. The car contains flour, tomatoes, and meat. It was all for daily sustenance.

William Brangham:

Despite her mothers comfort, young Layan Abbid just can't take it anymore.

Layan Abbid Displaced Palestinian (through interpreter):

We are scared. We don't want the war. We are scared. They bombed the car and we are scared. We don't want the war.

William Brangham:

Yet more victims of war were rushed to the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah, one of the few still partially operating. Medical teams there struggle to save those they can.

The shadow of death won't leave this family. Veteran Palestinian journalist Wael Al Dahdouh tries to stay brave for those of his loved ones still living. He held his son's hand one last time. In October, he lost his wife, his daughter, another son, and a grandson, also killed by Israeli airstrikes.

Yesterday, Dahdouh's son Hamza, also an Al-Jazeera journalist like his father, was killed with another colleague, Mustafa Thuraya. An Israeli drone strike hit their car. The IDF said the intended target was a terrorist who piloted drones that threatened IDF troops and that two other suspects were killed.

But the Committee to Protect Journalists has called for an independent probe, as both journalists were driving to an assignment in Gaza. CPJ has documented 79 journalists killed so far in the war, nearly all of them Palestinians in Gaza.

After he mourned and prayed over his most recent loss, Dahdouh did what he's always done, returned to work, reporting on a war that has stolen almost everything from him.

Wael Al-Dahdouh, Palestinian Journalist (through interpreter):

The world must see with their eyes and not with Israel's eyes. It must listen and watch all that is happening to the Palestinian people.

What has Hamza done to them and what has my family done to them? What have civilians in Gaza Strip done to them? They have not done anything.

William Brangham:

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm William Brangham.