By The Israeli military launched a massive strike on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut on Friday, causing widespread destruction and pushing the region closer to full-scale war. The attack, which targeted the militant group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, leveled multiple high-rise apartment buildings and resulted in at least six deaths and 91 injuries, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
The series of explosions, occurring around nightfall, reduced six apartment towers to rubble in Haret Hreik, a densely populated, predominantly Shiite district of Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburbs. Witnesses reported billowing black and orange smoke rising into the sky, with the blasts felt up to 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Beirut.
Israeli army spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated that the strikes targeted Hezbollah’s main headquarters, which was reportedly located underground beneath residential buildings. The Israeli military declined to comment on who specifically was targeted, but two sources, including a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Nasrallah was the intended target.
In the aftermath, rescue workers were seen clambering over large slabs of concrete, surrounded by piles of twisted metal and wreckage. Several craters were visible in the area, with one containing an overturned car. Residents carrying belongings were observed fleeing along a main road out of the district.
The Israeli air force conducted additional strikes early Saturday in the southern suburbs of Beirut, warning residents of three buildings to evacuate. The military claimed these structures were being used by Hezbollah to conceal weapons, including anti-ship missiles.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly cut short a visit to the United States to return home following the strikes. Hours earlier, he had addressed the United Nations, vowing to continue Israel’s intensified campaign against Hezbollah.
The attack marks a significant escalation in the conflict, which has been ongoing for more than 11 months. Israel has dramatically increased its airstrikes in Lebanon this week, stating its determination to end Hezbollah’s fire into its territory. The escalated campaign has resulted in over 720 deaths in Lebanon, including dozens of women and children, according to Health Ministry statistics.
Hezbollah, for its part, announced the launch of a salvo of rockets at the Israeli city of Safed in response to what it called “the barbaric Israeli violation of cities, villages and civilians.” The Israeli military reported that a house and a car in Safed were hit, with a 68-year-old woman sustaining minor shrapnel wounds.
The United Nations reported that the fighting has displaced 211,000 people, with 85,000 now staying in public schools and other shelters. The conflict has also forced the closure of 20 primary health care centers and disrupted access to clean water for nearly 300,000 people.
AP
