A top Hezbollah Commander Ibrahim Aqil was among casualties in the latest Israeli airstrike in Beirut‘s southern suburb on Friday.
Aqil, who was a key figure on Hezbollah’s top military body, was killed during a meeting alongside several other members. The strike left eight people dead and 59 injured, Lebanon’s health ministry has reported.
This attack marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. It follows another unprecedented attack earlier in the week, where pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded, killing 37 people and injuring thousands. Although Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for either incident, these events are seen as part of Israel’s efforts to target Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and leadership.
This marks the second high-profile Hezbollah leader targeted in Beirut within two months, following the July killing of Fuad Shukr, another key military figure. Aqil, initially had a $7 million U.S. bounty for his involvement in the 1983 bombing of U.S. Marines in Lebanon.
The Israeli military confirmed it had carried out a “targeted strike” but provided no further details. Hezbollah responded by launching Katyusha rockets into northern Israel, reportedly targeting an intelligence headquarters involved in assassinations. Israel responded with warning sirens in northern regions and reported heavy rocket fire from Hezbollah.
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This latest escalation comes in the midst of an already intensified conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began nearly a year ago and has seen significant fighting along the Lebanon-Israel border. The conflict, initially sparked by the Gaza war, is now the most severe since the 2006 war between the two sides. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides, with the conflict largely concentrated near the frontier.
Rescue efforts are ongoing in Beirut, with civil defense teams searching for survivors under the rubble of buildings hit by the strike. The airstrike follows the Israeli military’s most intense bombing campaign in southern Lebanon just the night before.
Concerns over the conflict’s expansion are growing, with global leaders like Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy convening emergency meetings, and White House National Security spokesman John Kirby urging Americans to avoid or leave Lebanon due to the escalating situation. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed his trip to the United Nations General Assembly due to the situation, efforts continue to prevent the conflict from spiraling into a broader war.
The strikes come amid heightened tensions in the region, with Hezbollah’s strong ties to Iran playing a central role in the broader geopolitical dynamics between Israel and Iranian-backed groups.
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