An Israeli airstrike targeted a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Tuesday evening, reportedly in retaliation for a cross-border rocket attack that tragically ended the lives of 12 children and teenagers three days prior.
according to a Reuters witness, around 7:40 p.m. (1640 GMT), an explosion resulted in a visible plume of smoke above the Hezbollah stronghold.
A senior Lebanese security source indicated that the airstrike targeted a high-ranking Hezbollah figure, though his condition remains unknown. Lebanon’s state-run news agency reported that the strike hit near Hezbollah’s Shura Council in the Haret Hreik neighbourhood.
Israel’s strike comes in the wake of heightened tensions following a deadly rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which impacted a Druze village’s football field on Saturday.
Despite Hezbollah’s denial of involvement, the Israeli military issued a statement asserting the Beirut operation targeted the commander responsible for the Golan Heights attack and other attacks on Israeli civilians.
Earlier Tuesday, further rocket attacks from southern Lebanon resulted in the death of an Israeli civilian in the northern kibutz, as reported by medical personnel.
Before the Beirut explosion, the Israeli military reported the launch of 15 projectiles from Lebanon, which hit areas in the Upper Galilee without causing injuries. In response, Israel struck a Hezbollah observation post and targeted what it described as “terror infrastructure” in southern Lebanon.
As international efforts to prevent further escalation intensify, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed his concerns, stating that while a conflict between Hezbollah and Israel isn’t inevitable, the potential for escalation remains worrying.
Since the Gaza war began in October, skirmishes have mostly been confined to the border area. Historically, both parties have indicated no desire for a broader conflict. However, the ongoing exchanges, including Tuesday’s incident where Lebanon launched 10 rockets and Israel responded, continue to fuel fears of a more extensive confrontation.
