BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, Sept 27 – Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah’s central command in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday, causing widespread destruction and sending thick plumes of smoke across the city. The strike, which hit Hezbollah’s Dahiyeh stronghold, marked a significant escalation in Israel’s ongoing conflict with the group.
Reports suggested that Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was the target. However, sources close to Hezbollah and Iran’s Tasnim news agency indicated that Nasrallah survived the attack. An Iranian security official said Tehran was still verifying his condition.
Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV confirmed the destruction of four buildings and numerous casualties. Footage showed rescue teams scrambling over debris as large craters were visible in the area. The Israeli military described the airstrike as “precise,” targeting a Hezbollah command center concealed beneath residential buildings in Dahiyeh.
This was Israel’s fourth airstrike in Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled districts in a week. Previous attacks killed at least three senior Hezbollah commanders, but Friday’s strike was notably stronger, with blasts shaking windows across the city, recalling the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the command center was embedded deep within civilian areas. The strike followed a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations, where he pledged to continue Israel’s military actions against Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed fighters in Lebanon.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the attack, saying it showed Israel’s disregard for global calls for a ceasefire.
The conflict has escalated sharply, with Israeli airstrikes killing more than 700 people in Lebanon over the past week. The strikes have displaced around 100,000 people in Lebanon this week alone, adding to the already significant numbers uprooted by the conflict.
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