Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Beirut After Senior Commander’s Killing
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Israel carried out intense airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday, hours after an earlier strike killed senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, according to Lebanese and Israeli reports. The latest attacks hit areas long considered strongholds of the Iran-backed group, with Israeli officials saying the targets included underground command centers and other military infrastructure.
The bombardment caused heavy destruction in densely populated neighborhoods and sent plumes of smoke over the capital’s southern districts. Lebanese authorities said multiple people were killed and others wounded, though the full extent of the casualties was not immediately clear. Emergency crews were seen working through damaged buildings as residents fled the area.
The strikes mark a sharp escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has intensified alongside the war in Gaza and raised fears of a broader regional confrontation. Israel has said it is targeting Hezbollah capabilities to prevent further attacks on its territory, while Hezbollah has vowed to respond to Israeli operations.
The latest round of violence underscores the growing risk of a wider war as cross-border exchanges and retaliatory strikes continue to expand beyond southern Lebanon.
