An Israeli airstrike in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, on Friday killed at least eight people, including the top commander of Hezbollah, the militant group backed by Iran. Fifty more are left injured, officials reported. The Israeli military confirmed the attack and said Aqil and other Hezbollah members were planning a major attack on Israel.
Israeli Airstrike Targets Hezbollah
Israeli military forces launched a ‘targeted strike’ in southern Beirut, Hezbollah’s stronghold, which killed its operations head, Ibrahim Aqil, and other senior operatives. The Israeli Defense Forces claimed the dead official was planning to carry out an operation dubbed ‘Conquer the Galilee,’ where fighters were to infiltrate the Israeli communities. Israel threatened to carry out more attacks of that nature if it was to protect its own civilians.
Hezbollah Fires Rockets In Retaliation
As a form of retaliation, Hezbollah fired over 150 rockets into northern Israel. The group said it hit six Israeli military bases, including air defense sites. According to the Israeli military, 120 rockets were launched at areas such as the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee, some of which were intercepted. Hezbollah also fired rockets in the direction of the Mount Meron area in northern Israel, pushing tensions along the border to new heights.
Of the latest strikes on Beirut, this is the third airstrike that occurred in the south of Beirut since this war between Israel and Hamas started in October 2023. Killed in the attack included two other high-ranking commanders, namely Hezbollah’s Fuad Shukr last July 2024 and Hamas leader Saleh al-Aruri in January 2024, to pin down Hezbollah’s growing threat, Israel has focused its campaign on the northern border with Lebanon.
Hezbollah Vows Retaliation After Sabotage
The Sabotage Attack Went South Not Only in the Direction of Tensions But Also in Escalation Steps
Tensions between the Israeli forces and Hezbollah have been simmering since the attacks against Hezbollah which took place this week through communication devices. Thousands of walkie-talkies and pagers the Hezbollah troops were using exploded in the process, leaving 37 people dead and more than 3,000 injured. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah says his group will stage a counterattack over the sabotage attacks.
Israel-Lebanon Border Conflict Continues
Escalation by both, Israeli-Hezbollah standoff, is reported as Israel recently attempted to neutralize hundreds of rocket launchers in southern Lebanon. The situation between Israel and Lebanon continues to reach extremely dire conditions due to ongoing attacks from both sides, growing fears of further armed conflict in the coming days.
Hezbollah Leader Slain In Israeli Airstrike
The Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut killed senior Hezbollah military figure Aqil, a severe blow to the group’s leadership yesterday. The man had a $7 million bounty on his head for his involvement in the 1983 bombings of the US Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, for which he was wanted in the United States. The airstrike had resulted in heavy damage, including the high-rise building’s destruction and rescue workers were busy looking for survivors. The killing of Aqil is on the heels of the killing of another top Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, killed in a similar airstrike launched by Israel. These two were influential figures in Hezbollah’s military operations against Israel.
