Israel conducted a rare and lethal airstrike in Beirut’s southern Dahiya district on Friday, killing a senior Hezbollah military official, Ibrahim Akil, along with at least 10 other operatives. This strike, targeting one of Hezbollah’s key commanders and sanctioned by the U.S. for his involvement in the 1983 Beirut embassy bombing, is the deadliest on Lebanon’s capital in decades, causing at least 14 deaths and injuring dozens. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described the operation as part of “a new phase of war.”
Hezbollah confirmed Akil’s death, hailing him as a “great jihadist leader.” The Iranian-backed group bombarded northern Israel earlier with 140 rockets, escalating the ongoing conflict. Israel’s Iron Dome intercepted most of the rockets, with minimal damage reported.
The airstrike leveled an apartment building, forcing rescue operations late into the night as first responders sifted through rubble. The attack, Israel’s most severe on Beirut since the 2006 war, has intensified fears of a full-scale conflict in the Middle East.
Israel maintains that the strike aimed to protect its civilians, accusing Akil of long-standing plots against Israel. The escalation comes amid heightened tensions following Hamas’ assaults and Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza, which has claimed thousands of Palestinian lives. Israel remains on high alert, bolstering its military presence along the northern border and urging citizens to stay near bomb shelters. Hezbollah vows to continue its attacks unless a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.
As global attention shifts to Israel-Hezbollah tensions, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, with Palestinian casualties mounting amid ongoing Israeli strikes.
Original Story https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/21/rare-israeli-airstrike-in-beirut-kills-hezbollah-commander-andothers.html
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