New Delhi:
Israel continued ferocious rounds of airstrikes on Hezbollah’s key strongholds in southern Beirut in Lebanon today. These strikes, which began last night in the heart of the capital city, sent plumes of thick smoke billowing into the sky, sparking fear and chaos in densely populated civilian areas. The operations marked Israel’s most intense strikes on Beirut since shifting its military focus from Gaza to Lebanon earlier this week.
The targets of these attacks were alleged Hezbollah strongholds scattered throughout Lebanon, with devastating consequences, including the deaths of hundreds of people. While Israeli television networks reported that Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was the primary target, a Hezbollah source, according to news agency AFP, later claimed Nasrallah was “fine,” though he has remained in hiding for years to evade assassination attempts. Nasrallah, who holds immense power in Lebanon, particularly among his Shiite supporters, is widely seen as the only figure capable of waging war or brokering peace.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that the strikes resulted in the deaths of Muhammad Ali Ismail, the commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit in southern Lebanon, his deputy, and other senior officials of the Iran-backed militia. Ahmad Ahmad, a local resident who fled from his home in southern Beirut during the strikes, described the attack as feeling “like an earthquake”, as quoted by news agency AFP.
The strikes continued into a second bombing wave, during which Israel claimed to have targeted Hezbollah’s weapons depots stored within buildings in southern Beirut. Hezbollah denied this claim, while reports emerged of six buildings being levelled and 91 people wounded, with six confirmed dead. Following the strikes, Hezbollah retaliated by launching rockets into Israel, which prompted warnings from the Israeli military for civilians in Hezbollah strongholds to evacuate immediately.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s Warning
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, vowing that Israel would continue its military campaign against Hezbollah until the northern border was fully secured. He claimed that Israel has the right to defend itself, declaring that no reprieve would be given to Hezbollah, and hinting at a possible ground offensive in Lebanon.
Netanyahu also issued a stern warning to Tehran, accusing Iran of fueling the violence through its support of Hezbollah. “If you strike us, we will strike you,” Netanyahu warned, adding that Israel’s reach could extend throughout the Middle East if necessary.
As Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly, scores of diplomats walked out in protest. The devastating toll of the ongoing war in Gaza has drawn widespread condemnation, with more than 42,000 people reported dead in the besieged enclave. Entire neighbourhoods in Gaza have been reduced to rubble, with hundreds of thousands displaced.
Nasrallah Targeted In Beirut
The Friday evening Israeli airstrikes on southern Beirut were unprecedented in scale, reportedly involving tens of tons of explosives. Hezbollah’s top officials were thought to be present at the underground headquarters that were bombed, though reports from Hezbollah claimed that Nasrallah survived the strikes. Despite the extensive destruction, with entire buildings flattened, there was no immediate confirmation of Nasrallah’s death, though speculation continued to swirl.
Israeli officials, however, expressed confidence that the strikes had seriously compromised Hezbollah’s command structure. In a televised statement, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari claimed that the strike targeted Hezbollah’s central headquarters in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. The IDF also revealed it had notified the US about the airstrikes while the operation was underway, but the United States was not involved.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian in response to the Beirut strikes, condemned the attack as a “flagrant war crime,” further intensifying the already volatile situation.
The United Nations and international humanitarian organisations have sounded alarms over the deadly situation in Lebanon. “We are witnessing the deadliest period in Lebanon in a generation, and many fear that this is only the beginning,” said UN humanitarian coordinator Imran Riza, as quoted by news agency AFP.