Israeli airstrikes hit Hezbollah targets in Beirut amidst rising tensions
Overnight from Friday to Saturday, the Israeli army conducted another series of attacks on targets associated with the Lebanese Hezbollah in Beirut. Videos of the nighttime raids showing massive explosions appeared online.
The Israeli army carried out the first raid on Beirut on Friday afternoon. As was the case then, Tel Aviv assures that it conducts "precision strikes" on strictly defined targets.
To limit the number of civilian casualties, the Israeli army had earlier called for the evacuation of residents from three districts in the Lebanese capital. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that the "army will strike Hezbollah’s underground facilities in Dahia," a southern district of Beirut. He added that the raids will target "three strategic underground Hezbollah facilities in the heart of Dahia."
Hagari asserts that in the specified locations, the terrorist organization Hezbollah stores rockets produced in Iran. According to Israeli authorities, these could be used to destroy commercial ships and strategic facilities in Israel.
Alarm in Lebanon. Dead and injured
On Friday afternoon, Israeli forces conducted a raid on downtown Beirut. According to reports, the target was the leader of Islamic Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah.
According to Lebanese authorities, at least six people were killed, and 91 were injured in the attack. The Israeli military had earlier informed that it attacked Hezbollah's main headquarters, located under residential buildings in the southern district of the Lebanese capital.
According to Reuters and AFP agencies, Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is alive and "doing well." The agencies cite sources close to the organisation.
Why is Israel attacking Hezbollah?
Since October 2023, following the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip, Iran-backed Hezbollah began regular shelling of northern Israel. Since Monday, the Israeli air force has been conducting massive raids on Lebanon.
Over 700 people have already died in these raids. Israel emphasizes that the raids are aimed at Hezbollah’s infrastructure and fighters, and the goal of the operation is to restore security in the northern part of the country. In fear of attacks, more than 60,000 people have already left the region.
Source: PAP
