Israel claims killing of senior Hezbollah commander in targeted Beirut strike
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that an airstrike conducted by Israeli fighter jets in Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb had targeted and killed Qubaisi.
A forklift removes a damaged car as Lebanese army and emergency workers gather at the scene of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
An Israeli airstrike on Beirut on Tuesday killed senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Muhammad al-Qubasi, as cross-border rocket attacks between Israel and Hezbollah intensified, raising fears of a full-scale war in the Middle East. Israel’s military confirmed that the strike targeted Qubaisi, whom it identified as the commander of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket division. Lebanese security sources also described him as a key figure in the Iran-backed group’s rocket operations.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that an airstrike conducted by Israeli fighter jets in Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb had targeted and killed Qubaisi. According to the IDF, several other high-ranking officials from Hezbollah’s rocket and missile division were also present in the apartment at the time of the attack.
This attack marks another significant setback for Hezbollah following a series of Israeli assaults in recent days. Israel later announced that it was conducting “extensive strikes” on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
Earlier, Israel’s chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, stated, “Hezbollah must not be given any respite – we will intensify our offensive operations today.”
Lebanon’s health minister, Firass Abiad, reported that the Israeli strikes since Monday have claimed nearly 560 lives, including numerous women and children. Tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes, with the mayor of Sidon confirming that 10,000 internally displaced people had arrived in the city, with 6,000 seeking refuge in shelters.
Israel is now shifting its military focus from Gaza to its northern border, as Hezbollah continues to launch rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, both groups backed by Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel would keep striking Hezbollah targets and urged the Lebanese people to break free from the influence of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
This death toll in Lebanon adds to those affected by last week’s detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies, with an official from the World Health Organization warning that some hospitals are becoming overwhelmed by the growing number of casualties.
The heightened pressure on Hezbollah has sparked concerns that the ongoing conflict could spiral out of control, destabilising the oil-rich Middle East, where the war between Hamas and Israel continues to escalate in Gaza.
(With Inputs from Reuters)
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