Israeli envoy to India Reuven Azar has said New Delhi has a major role to play both politically and economically in the West Asian region.

"We have good relations with India. We were encouraged by the fact that India has supported our right for self-defense. I think that India has a huge role to play in West Asia because of what they have to offer and what they bring to the table, both economically and also politically," he told ANI news agency.

Meanwhile, Israel has confirmed the killing of Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine, who was presumed to succeed as the chief of the group, during an airstrike in Beirut this month.

He was seen as a successor of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

"Hashem Safieddine, Head of the Hezbollah Executive Council and Ali Hussein Hazima, Commander of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters, were eliminated during a strike on Hezbollah’s main intelligence HQ in Dahieh approx. 3 weeks ago," Israel Defense Forces said in an X post.

"Hashem Safieddine was a member of the Shura Council, Hezbollah's most senior military-political forum, responsible for the decision-making and policy-making in the terrorist organization," the X post said.

Hashem was the cousin of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.