Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalate after yet another attack: what happened in Beirut?
The number of people who died in the Israeli air attack on a suburb of Beirut this Friday rose to 37. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, there are three children and seven women among the victims in what was the deadliest attack in a year of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah. At least 68 people were injured.
What attack was this?
The Israeli army launched a “selective” air strike, as announced on Friday, with a clear target: a basement where a meeting of the command of Hezbollah’s elite force, the al-Radwan unit, was taking place. 16 members were killed, including the head of this unit, Ibrahim Aqil — who was Hezbollah’s number two — and another senior commander.
“During the attack, top operatives from the Hezbollah Operations General Staff and commanders of the Radwan unit were eliminated along with Aqil,” the Israeli army reported in a post on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
“Ibrahim Aqil and Radwan commanders were planning the ‘Conquer the Galilee’ attack, in which Hezbollah intended to infiltrate Israeli communities and kidnap and murder innocent civilians in a manner similar to the October 7 massacre” carried out by Hamas Palestinian, reads the same publication.
Waiting for retaliation for the death of veteran Ibrahim Aqil, Israel closed the airspace this Saturday.
The other senior commander who was killed was Ahmed Mahmoud Wahbi, who until earlier this year had led al-Radwan’s military operations in support of Hamas.
Has Hezbollah reacted yet?
The Iranian-backed Lebanese paramilitary group confirmed the death of two senior commanders in the Israeli attack. About two months ago, Tel Aviv forces killed Hezbollah’s top military commander: Fouad Chokr.
Hezbollah said it fired salvos of Katyusha rockets at two military sites in northern Israel today. “[Foi uma] response to enemy attacks in southern Lebanon”, said the Shiite movement. The AFP news agency reported intense bombings in different areas of southern Lebanon.
Did Israel attack again?
The Israeli army announced this Saturday new air strikes against “positions belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon”. According to Reuters, Israeli warplanes carried out “some of the heaviest bombings” in 11 months of fighting in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli Defense Minister has already made it clear that “the series of operations in the new phase of the war will continue” until they achieve their objective: “guaranteeing the safe return of communities in northern Israel to their homes”, declared Yoav Gallant on X, adding : “Our enemies have nowhere to take refuge, not even in the suburbs of Beirut.”
Is the conflict escalating?
Tensions in the Middle East had already increased after Israeli attacks with pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon, which left 37 dead and 3,200 injured, including the Iranian ambassador in Beirut, Mojtaba Amani.
On Thursday, the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, had already said that Israel would receive a “terrible punishment”, so Friday’s attack further aggravates the conflict between them — and beyond.
The Islamic resistance movement Hamas warned, in a statement, that “this crime committed by the occupation [israelita] it is a reckless act for which he will pay a heavy price, and the blood of the martyred leader Ibrahim Aqil […] it will be the flame that will engulf this artificial entity.”
After the explosions involving dozens of communications devices, the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said that Israel would suffer “an overwhelming response”. Now, Iran has condemned the new “brutal and cruel” attack in Beirut that “constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, as well as a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security,” said Tehran’s diplomatic spokesman , Nasser Kanani, in a press release.
