At least eight people, including a top commander of Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, have been killed and 50 have been injured in the “targeted strike” launched by Israeli military in Beirut, a Lebanese security official close to militant group and Lebanon’s health ministry said on Friday.
“The Israeli air strike killed Radwan Force commander Ibrahim Aqil, its armed force’s second-in-command after Fuad Shukr, who an Israeli strike killed in July, also in Hezbollah’s southern Beirut stronghold,” the official told news agency AFP.
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Israel said it had conducted a “targeted strike” in Beirut, where a security official said an air strike had hit Hezbollah’s stronghold in the south of the city.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a statement that it had carried out a “targeted strike” in Beirut. “The IDF (Israeli military) conducted a targeted strike in Beirut. At this moment, there are no changes in the Home Front Command defensive guidelines. We will update regarding any changes. Details to follow,” it said in a statement.
The air strike is the third to hit the southern suburbs of Beirut since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023. The previous strikes on south Beirut killed top commander of Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, on July 30, 2024, and a leader of Palestinian militant group Hamas, Saleh al-Aruri on January 2, 2024.
Hezbollah Hits Northern Israel With Over 150 Rockets
The development came hours after Hezbollah pounded northern Israel with 150 rockets in retaliation for strikes on south Lebanon, as tensions soared following deadly sabotage attacks on its communications devices.
Hezbollah said it targeted at least six Israeli military bases with salvos of rockets after overnight bombardment people in south Lebanon described as among the fiercest so far.
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The Israeli military said the rockets came in three waves Friday afternoon targeting sites along the ravaged border with Lebanon. Hezbollah said that the rockets had targeted several sites along the border, including multiple air defence bases as well as the headquarters of an Israeli armored brigade.
The Israeli military, however, said that 120 missiles were launched at areas of the Golan Heights, Safed and the Upper Galilee, some of which were intercepted. Israel said that the retaliatory air strikes destroyed dozens of the militant group’s launchers.
Another 20 rockets were launched from Lebanon at the Mount Meron area in northern Israel, according to the IDF.
On Thursday, Israel said its military had struck “hundreds of rocket launcher barrels” in southern Lebanon, saying that they “were ready to be used in the immediate future to fire toward Israeli territory”.
Militant group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday vowed retribution for deadly sabotage attacks on its communication devices that he blamed on Israel. Israel has not commented on the communications device explosions, but the intensifying violence comes after it announced it was shifting its war objectives to its northern border with Lebanon.
Pager Attacks In Lebanon
Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities on Thursday banned walkie-talkies and pagers from being taken on flights from Beirut airport, the National News Agency reported, after thousands of such devices exploded during a deadly attack on Hezbollah this week.
At least 37 people were killed and more than 3,000 wounded when pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded in two waves of attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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The Lebanese army said on Thursday it was blowing up pagers and suspicious telecom devices in controlled blasts in different areas. It called on citizens to report any suspicious devices.
(With inputs from agencies)
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