Trending
Israel pounds Lebanon, pressuring Hezbollah after killing its leader

Published
6 months agoon
By
Ekwutos BlogBy Emily Rose and Maya Gebeily
JERUSALEM/BEIRUT (Reuters) – Israel struck multiple targets in Lebanon on Sunday, pressing Iran-backed Hezbollah with more attacks after it struck a huge blow by killing the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
The Israeli military said the air force had “struck dozens of Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon, including launchers that were aimed toward Israeli territory, structures in which weapons were stored and additional Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure”.

A poster depicting late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Hezbollah top commander Fuad Shukr is seen in Wadi El Zayni, Lebanon September 29, 2024. REUTERS/Aziz Taher
© Thomson Reuters
The navy had intercepted a projectile approaching Israel from the area of the Red Sea and another eight projectiles coming from Lebanon had fallen in open areas, it said in a morning statement.
Nasrallah was killed in a massive Israeli air attack on Friday on the group’s headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs. It was a major blow to Hezbollah and to Iran, removing an influential ally who helped build Hezbollah into the linchpin of Tehran’s network of allied groups in the Arab world.

People react as they attend a gathering to offer condolences following the announcement of the death of Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in Basra, Iraq September 28, 2024. REUTERS/Essam al-Sudani
© Thomson Reuters
Israel announced his killing on Saturday and Hezbollah later confirmed his death.
In its announcement, Hezbollah said it would keep fighting Israel and has continued to fire rockets at it, including a salvo on Sunday morning.
Nasrallah’s death capped a traumatic fortnight for Hezbollah, starting with the detonation of thousands of communications devices used by its members. Israel was widely assumed to have carried out that action but has not confirmed or denied it did.
The escalation has increased fears the conflict could spin out of control, potentially drawing in Iran, Hezbollah’s principal backer, as well as the United States.

An Iraqi woman holds a picture of Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as she attends protest following the announcement of his death, in Baghdad, Iraq, September 28, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani
© Thomson Reuters
Hezbollah and Israel have been fighting in parallel with Israel’s war in Gaza against Hamas since the Iran-backed Palestinian group’s attack on Israel last Oct. 7.
Lebanon’s health ministry said 33 people had been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon during Saturday, bringing the total toll since hostilities broke out on Oct. 8 to more than 1,670, including 104 children.
In Beirut, displaced families spent the night on the benches at Zaitunay Bay, a high-end string of restaurants and cafes on Beirut’s waterfront where private security usually shoos away any loiterers. That was not the case on Sunday morning.
Families with nothing more than a duffle bag of clothes had rolled out mats to sleep on and were pouring tea for themselves.
“You won’t be able to destroy us, whatever you do, however much you bomb, however much you displace people – we will stay here. We won’t leave. This is our country and we’re staying,” said Francoise Azori, a Beirut resident jogging through the area.
The United Nations’ World Food Programme said in a statement on Sunday it had launched an emergency operation to provide food for up to 1 million people affected by the conflict in Lebanon.
‘BALANCE OF POWER’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday Nasrallah’s killing was a necessary step toward “changing the balance of power in the region for years to come”.
“Nasrallah was not a terrorist, he was the terrorist,” Netanyahu said in a statement, warning of challenging days ahead.
Israel said it killed senior Hezbollah official Ali Karaki and other commanders along with Nasrallah.
U.S. President Joe Biden described Nasrallah’s death as a measure of justice for what he called his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis and Lebanese, and said the U.S. fully supported Israel’s right to self-defence.
But when asked if an Israeli ground incursion into Lebanon was inevitable, Biden told reporters on Saturday: “It’s time for a ceasefire.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was moved to a secure location in Iran after Nasrallah’s killing, sources told Reuters. Khamenei said Nasrallah’s death would be avenged and his path in fighting Israel would be pursued by other militants.
Tehran called for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Israel’s actions in Lebanon and elsewhere in the region, warning against any attacks on its diplomatic facilities and representatives.
A senior member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan, was also killed in Friday’s attacks, Iranian media reported.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel’s war was not with the Lebanese people. He held talks late on Saturday about possibly expanding Israel’s military offensive on its northern front, his office said.
Hezbollah has said it would cease fire only when Israel’s Gaza offensive ends. Hamas and other allies of Hezbollah issued statements mourning his death.
(Reporting by Maya Gebeily, Timour Azhari, Laila Bassam, Abdelaziz Boumzar and Tom Perry in Beirut; James Mackenzie, Emily Rose and Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem; Jana Choukeir, Nadine Awadalla, Adam Makary, Jaidaa Taha, Clauda Tanios and Tala Ramadan in Dubai; Michelle Nichols in New York; Andrea Shalal, Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington; Alvise Armellini in Rome; Writing by David Morgan and William Mallard; Editing by Frances Kerry)
You may like
500K deposit: Man who lost his pregnant wife responds after Reuben Abati, blasted him.
Kano deputy gov reports back after peace-building mission in Edo
Despite criticism, Ibas swears in sole administrators for Rivers LGAs
Kano lawyer petitions Tinubu over ‘politically motivated’ police invitation of Emir Sanusi
U.S withdraws military aid from Niger, redirects to Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana
FCT Minister rolls out major land administration reforms, introduces strict timelines for allottees
Trending
500K deposit: Man who lost his pregnant wife responds after Reuben Abati, blasted him.

Published
2 hours agoon
April 11, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
500K deposit: Man who lost his pregnant wife responds after Reuben Abati, blasted him.
He said …
“Sir, with due respect this is not my first child. When my wife get belle we dey take care of am to the best of my ability and I never come for public or come meet you sir make you borrow me money or make I take feed my children.
I saved money, but I didn’t save N500K. I saved money for that day but they asked me for N500K deposit, not full payment.
All the money wey I fit gather that day e no go pass 100K, I don’t know whether it is an offense if you don’t have up to N500K if your wife wan born.
I don’t know if it’s an offense to live below 500K because you’re saying it’s the highest irresponsibility because I no get N500K. So it’s a crime now to be poor in Nigeria….”
Trending
Moment helicopter crashed into Hudson River in New York (VIDEO)

Published
13 hours agoon
April 11, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Footage has emerged of the ill-fated helicopter that crashed into Hudson River on Thursday afternoon.
The helicopter that crashed into the River in New York City killed all six persons on board.
The deceased include the pilot and a visiting family of five from Spain, among them three children.
The aircraft, identified as a Bell 206, had taken off from Manhattan less than 30 minutes before the crash.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that all six bodies have been recovered.
Emergency responders pronounced four victims dead at the scene, while the remaining two succumbed to their injuries at a nearby hospital.
The FAA’s statement reads: “A Bell 206 helicopter crashed and is submerged in the Hudson River in New York City. The number of people on board is unknown at this time. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The #NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates.”
Trending
Senator Natasha Responds To Akpabio’s Defamation Petition To Police IG, Cites Fear For Her Safety

Published
16 hours agoon
April 11, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
But Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, speaking through her legal counsel Victor Giwa, said her comments were not made for political leverage but out of genuine fear for her safety.
The suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has strongly responded to a formal petition filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in which she is accused of criminal defamation and incitement over allegations of an assassination plot.
But Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, speaking through her legal counsel Victor Giwa, said her comments were not made for political leverage but out of genuine fear for her safety.
“She has received the petition and has responded,” Giwa said. “What happened when she made that statement was her crying out to the general public to understand what she is exposed to.”
Giwa also criticised what he called a deliberate act of endangerment by Senate leadership, alleging that Natasha’s security details were withdrawn immediately after her suspension.
“You are aware that the Senate President ordered the withdrawal of her security,” Giwa noted.
“If somebody has committed gross misconduct, what has that got to do with the withdrawal of her security? She is a politically exposed person. You stopped her from entering the Senate, fine. But she has a life outside the complex. She is entitled to protection.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate for six months under controversial circumstances earlier this year.
Ekwutosblog on Thursday reported that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had formally petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, seeking an investigation into an alleged assassination plot made against him by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In the petition dated April 3, 2025, Akpabio denied the serious accusation and called for the prosecution of Akpoti-Uduaghan for criminal defamation.
The petition, which was also copied to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), comes after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public outburst on April 1, 2025.
During a speech in Kogi State, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of instructing former Kogi State Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello to assassinate her in Kogi State, claiming that the act was intended to make it appear that her constituents were responsible for her death.
Akpabio categorically denied the accusation, calling it a “heinous lie” and a “reckless and deliberate attempt” to tarnish his reputation.
In his petition, the Senate President labelled the allegation as politically motivated, accusing Akpoti-Uduaghan of attempting to incite political unrest and damage his public image.
He stressed that the allegation was made without any supporting evidence.
The Senate President also highlighted the severe impact of the false allegation, especially given its widespread coverage across media platforms, including radio, television, and social media. He urged law enforcement agencies to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves.
He said, “I write to formally bring to your attention and seek immediate investigation and prosecution of a criminally defamatory and malicious statement made against me by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a suspended member of the Nigerian Senate on the 1st of April, 2025 and which was widely publicised on radio stations, televisions and newspapers, including the social media.
“In the public outburst at Kogi State while addressing her audience, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan falsely alleged that I instructed the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to “assassinate her in Kogi State instead of Abuja” with the intent of making it appear that her constituents were responsible for her death.
“This statement is not only a heinous lie but a reckless and deliberate attempt to damage my reputation, endanger my life and security, and incite political unrest.
“I categorically state that this allegation is entirely false, unfounded, and politically motivated. It is a calculated act of blackmail and character assassination, designed to portray me as a political villain, and the statement was made without any shred of truth or supporting evidence.”
He further added that the statement was intended to manipulate public sentiment and malign his person and office.
“Her motive was clear, which was to incite the public, manipulate sentiments, and malign my person and office in the eyes of the Nigerian people and the international community,” he said.
“The severity of this false allegation, and the fact that it has gained public traction, makes it necessary that law enforcement agencies treat it with the urgency it deserves.”
In the petition, Akpabio called for the “immediate investigation into the false and inciting allegation” and the prosecution of “Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan under the relevant provisions of the law for criminal defamation, incitement, false accusation, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace”.

500K deposit: Man who lost his pregnant wife responds after Reuben Abati, blasted him.

Kano deputy gov reports back after peace-building mission in Edo

Despite criticism, Ibas swears in sole administrators for Rivers LGAs
Trending
- Trending6 months ago
NYA demands release of ‘abducted’ Imo chairman, preaches good governance
- Business6 months ago
US court acquits Air Peace boss, slams Mayfield $4000 fine
- Politics6 months ago
Mexico’s new president causes concern just weeks before the US elections
- Entertainment6 months ago
Bobrisky transferred from Immigration to FCID, spends night behind bars
- Entertainment6 months ago
Bobrisky falls ill in police custody, rushed to hospital
- Politics6 months ago
Russia bans imports of agro-products from Kazakhstan after refusal to join BRICS
- Politics6 months ago
Putin invites 20 world leaders
- Politics1 year ago
Nigerian Senate passes Bill seeking the establishment of the South East Development Commission.