The Israel Defense Forces conducted a strike in Beirut targeting the commander accused of orchestrating an attack on a children’s soccer field in Majdal Shams. The announcement of the strike came in response to the deaths of 12 children and teens in a rocket attack on the Druze village. Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant stated that Hezbollah had crossed a red line with the attack. The strike hit an apartment building near Hezbollah’s Shura Council in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut, causing damage and injuries. Reports named the targeted commander as Fuad Shukr, also known as Hajj Mohsin, a senior adviser to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The strike was carried out as part of Israel’s efforts to send a clear message and prevent a wider war, according to a senior Israeli official. The strike came after discussions of various response options in the wake of the rocket attack in the Golan Heights. The details of the strike were not immediately clear, but Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that it hit near Hezbollah’s headquarters. The State Department refrained from commenting on the strike but acknowledged Israel’s right to defend itself from threats posed by Iran-backed proxies like Hezbollah. The strike was reportedly carried out by a drone that launched three rockets.
The strike caused damage to an apartment building next to a hospital, resulting in injuries and collapsed buildings. The strike occurred around the same time as a loud blast was heard in the southern suburbs of Beirut, leading to speculation about the nature of the attack. The situation has heightened tensions in the region and raised concerns about the possibility of a full-blown war breaking out in the Middle East. The United States has urged Americans in Lebanon to leave before a crisis begins, citing the potential for increased conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Reports indicate that the strike in Beirut was the first time Israel targeted the city since 2006 when an airstrike killed a top Hamas official. The strike marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with both sides accusing each other of escalating tensions. The State Department has not announced any plans to evacuate Americans from Lebanon but has issued a travel advisory recommending reconsideration of travel to the country due to various risks, including terrorism and armed conflict. The situation remains fluid, and further updates are expected as the situation develops.
