Israel targets ‘Hezbollah HQs’; 6 killed 91 injured

The latest strikes come hours after an initial Israeli attack on what it said was Hezbollah's headquarters in Beirut on Friday.

Beirut: The Lebanese Health Ministry has reported a tragic increase in casualties following the recent Israeli airstrikes on the Haret Hreik neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The death toll has now reached six, with an additional 91 individuals injured. Rescue operations to clear rubble in the targeted area are ongoing.

On Friday, Israeli jets executed multiple heavy airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, claiming to have struck the main headquarters of Hezbollah. According to reports, Israeli warplanes launched around ten airstrikes on this Hezbollah stronghold, resulting in a significant smoke plume over the area. Following the strikes, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that the attacks were aimed at Hezbollah’s main headquarters, allegedly located beneath civilian buildings.

Lebanese Health Ministry also reported that four more individuals were killed and 17 others injured due to an Israeli airstrike in Baadaran, a town situated in central Lebanon. Initial reports indicated that two people had died and 76 were injured from the strikes, although Prime Minister Najib Mikati later suggested that there may be a larger number of casualties.

Israeli military claims success against Hezbollah commanders

In the early hours of Saturday, September 28, the Israeli military announced that it had eliminated several Hezbollah commanders during intensified airstrikes. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed responsibility for killing Muhammad Ali Ismail, commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit in southern Lebanon, and his deputy, Hussein Ahmad Ismail.

The IDF stated that Ismail was responsible for directing attacks against Israel and had been involved in launching missiles towards Israeli territory.

However, Hezbollah has not responded to the claim.

Explosions continued to shake Beirut early Saturday morning as Israeli strikes persisted throughout Friday. The IDF maintained that it was conducting “targeted strikes” on Hezbollah weapons allegedly stored beneath civilian buildings. In response, Hezbollah denied these claims, asserting that their weapons were not located in the civilian structures targeted by Israeli forces.

Escalating conflict, humanitarian concerns

The latest wave of strikes comes amid a broader context of escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah since the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza. The Lebanese Health Ministry has reported over 700 fatalities and nearly 2,200 injuries due to ongoing airstrikes since Monday.

The cumulative death toll in Lebanon since last October stands at 1,540, with more than 77,000 individuals displaced from southern and eastern regions of the country.

As international concerns grow regarding the potential for a regional conflict stemming from these strikes, both sides continue to engage in cross-border warfare amidst a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the ongoing violence.

(With inputs from IANS)