JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Pledges from Israel and its enemies Hamas and Hezbollah to keep fighting in Gaza and Lebanon dashed hopes on Friday that the death of Palestinian militant leader Yahya Sinwar might hasten an end to more than a year of escalating war in the Middle East.

The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces in Gaza this week leaves the militant group considering new leadership for the second time in less than three months

Israel’s foreign minister has confirmed that Israeli troops in Gaza have killed Hamas’ top leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war. Sinwar has topped Israel’s most wanted list since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war just over a year ago,

American officials expect Israel will retaliate against Iran for its attack earlier this month before November 5, sources tell CNN, a timeline that would thrust the growing volatility in the Middle East squarely into public view within days of the American presidential election.

The Biden administration believes it has won assurances from Israel that it will not hit Iranian nuclear or oil sites as it looks to strike back following Iran's missile barrage earlier this month.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is opposed to a "unilateral cease-fire" in Lebanon during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office.

Israel stepped up air strikes on Lebanon and said a senior Hezbollah commander in the south of the country had been killed, the latest escalation of its conflict with the Iran-backed militant group. Bloomberg News' Dana Khraiche discusses with Joumanna Bercetche on & Africa.