An Israeli air strike targeted a senior Hezbollah commander in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The strike was a retaliatory measure for a cross-border rocket attack that occurred three days earlier, which resulted in the deaths of 12 children and teenagers.
Witnesses reported a loud explosion and a visible plume of smoke rising from the area around 7:40 pm (1640 GMT) on Tuesday, a known stronghold of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
A senior Lebanese security source confirmed that the air strike was aimed at a high-ranking Hezbollah official, though his current status remains uncertain. According to Lebanon's state-run news agency, the strike hit the vicinity of Hezbollah's Shura Council in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut.
The Israeli military's action comes in the wake of heightened tensions in Beirut, which has been bracing for a potential Israeli response. This follows a rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday, which resulted in the tragic deaths of 12 youngsters playing football in a Druze village. Hezbollah has denied any involvement in the rocket attack.
In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed, “We conducted a targeted strike in Beirut on the commander responsible for the murder of the children in Majdal Shams and the killing of numerous additional Israeli civilians.” Further details are expected to be released.
Earlier in the day, additional rocket fire from southern Lebanon resulted in the death of a civilian in a kibbutz in northern Israel, according to medics. The Israeli military reported that 15 projectiles were fired across the Lebanese border in recent hours, impacting areas in the Upper Galilee region without causing injuries.
Shortly before the explosion in south Beirut, the Israeli air force struck a Hezbollah observation post and "terror infrastructure" in southern Lebanon. The latest exchanges of fire saw 10 rockets launched from Lebanon, with one hitting Kibbutz Hagoshrim and resulting in a casualty. Israel's ambulance service confirmed the death of a 30-year-old man from shrapnel wounds.
In response, Israel claimed to have targeted around 10 Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon overnight, resulting in the death of one Hezbollah fighter. Hezbollah confirmed the death of one of its members. The ongoing hostilities, which have flared up since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October, have been largely confined to the border area, though concerns about a potential escalation continue.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed his concerns about the possibility of further escalation but stated, "I do not believe a fight is inevitable between Hezbollah and Israel," as diplomatic efforts continue to manage the situation.