Rabat – Israel launched a series of powerful airstrikes on Hezbollah’s main military headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut today.
Israeli media reports indicated that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was targeted during the strikes, but sources close to the group have since confirmed that he is alive and unharmed.
News outlet Axios quoted Israeli sources as saying that Israeli forces were checking whether Nasrallah was hit or not in the targeted attack.
Israeli forces said the attack was a “precise strike” targeting what they described as the central command center of Hezbollah, allegedly located beneath civilian structures.
The strikes resulted in extensive damage, with reports indicating that at least six buildings were destroyed in the Haret Hreik neighborhood.
Initial reports indicate at least two confirmed deaths, with the number likely to rise as rescue operations continue. Many more are reported injured, and civil defense teams are working to extinguish fires and search for survivors in the rubble.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, with loud explosions and widespread panic among residents.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, criticized Israel’s actions, stating that they show a disregard for civilian life.
The United Nations has also expressed alarm over the situation and urged for restraint and a cessation of hostilities. “Anyone who looks at the pictures of smoke billowing from a densely populated area should be alarmed,” UN’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
This week has seen escalating violence, with over 700 casualties in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks, which were mainly concentrated in the south.
