"You Zionists must leave all of Lebanon. This land is the arena of resistance and steadfastness, not a playground for occupiers," he demanded in a social media post.

On-site footage Wednesday and Thursday showed survivors and emergency services searching for trapped people, and survivors being taken away on stretchers. In others, residents decried a lack of help.

"It is vital to the US national interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability," the statement said.

Gadi Eisenkot emerges as a leading opposition figure in Israel, topping polls alongside Likud as debates over leadership, conscription and political identity intensify ahead of upcoming elections.

According to the warning, Kobi had claimed during the program that Cohen had pushed for deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to be released as part of the deal to return Gilad Shalit in 2011.

Residents of La Guaira, a popular spot for beachgoers and the worst-hit city in the country, and Moron, near the quakes' epicenter, were scrambling amid limited official help.

As of 2026, 32 UN member states, including the United States, Canada, Russia, and Germany, have formally recognized the genocide.

During US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to the Gulf states this week, he made it clear that Iran would not be allowed to impose tolls on ships wishing to pass through the strait.