Beirut: After Israeli jets executed multiple heavy airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday, allegedly targeting the main headquarters of Hezbollah, the Israeli Army on Saturday, September 28, claimed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had been killed.
However, this has not been confirmed by Hezbollah or the Lebanese authorities. Israel’s military has mobilised additional reserve soldiers as tensions are escalating with Lebanon.
Explosions continued to shake Beirut early Saturday morning as Israeli strikes persisted throughout Friday. In the early hours of Saturday, the Israeli military announced that it had eliminated several Hezbollah commanders during intensified airstrikes. The Israeli Army claimed responsibility for killing Muhammad Ali Ismail, commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit in southern Lebanon, and his deputy, Hussein Ahmad Ismail.
The IDF stated that Ismail was responsible for directing attacks against Israel and had been involved in launching missiles towards Israeli territory.
The IDF maintained that it was conducting “targeted strikes” on Hezbollah weapons allegedly stored beneath civilian buildings. In response, Hezbollah denied these claims, asserting that their weapons were not located in the civilian structures targeted by Israeli forces.
The Lebanese health ministry has reported a tragic increase in casualties following the recent Israeli airstrikes on the Haret Hreik neighbourhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The death toll was earlier reported to be six, with an additional 91 individuals injured. Rescue operations to clear rubble in the targeted area are ongoing.
According to reports, Israeli warplanes launched around ten airstrikes on this Hezbollah stronghold, resulting in a significant smoke plume over the area. Following the strikes, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that the attacks were aimed at Hezbollah’s main headquarters, allegedly located beneath civilian buildings.
The Lebanese health ministry also reported that four more individuals were killed and 17 others injured due to an Israeli airstrike in Baadaran, a town situated in central Lebanon. Initial reports indicated that two people had died and 76 were injured from the strikes, although Prime Minister Najib Mikati later suggested that there may be a larger number of casualties.
Escalating conflict, humanitarian concerns
The latest wave of strikes comes amid a broader context of escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah since the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza. The Lebanese Health Ministry has reported over 700 fatalities and nearly 2,200 injuries due to ongoing airstrikes since Monday.
The cumulative death toll in Lebanon since last October stands at 1,540, with more than 77,000 individuals displaced from southern and eastern regions of the country.
As international concerns grow regarding the potential for a regional conflict stemming from these strikes, both sides continue to engage in cross-border warfare amidst a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the ongoing violence.
(With inputs from IANS)
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