Israel has stepped up efforts to assassinate Hezbollah’s top leaders in recent weeks as part of a campaign to compel the Iranian-backed militant group to stop firing rockets and drones at Israel. For nearly a year, Hezbollah has been attacking Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, displacing tens of thousands of Israelis from border communities.

Killing Hezbollah commanders will not bring the group to its knees, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, after Israel hit senior figures in the Iran-backed movement during days of devastating air strikes across Lebanon.