Israel strikes Hezbollah arms facilities in Beirut as more people confirmed killed
Israel launched airstrikes on Hezbollah arms facilities in southern Beirut, retaliating for rocket attacks on northern Israel and a drone attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s holiday home.
Netanyahu was not present at the time, and it was unclear if the building had been hit. However, he characterized the incident as an assassination attempt by “Iran’s proxy Hezbollah,” calling it a “grave mistake” as Israel prepares to respond to an Iranian missile barrage from earlier this month.
Meanwhile, medics and Hamas-affiliated media in Gaza, where Israel has been engaged in efforts to eliminate the Palestinian militant group for over a year, reported that Israeli airstrikes had killed more than 100 people across the coastal territory, and a siege around three hospitals had intensified.
Also Read: More people killed in Northern Gaza as Israel strikes Beit Lahiya
The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Wednesday sparked hopes for potential truces, but Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah have vowed to continue fighting.
The Muslim Parrot reported that the Israeli planes dropped leaflets over southern Gaza with a picture of Sinwar and the message: “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza.” Later, Israeli strikes on a multi-floor building in Beit Lahiya killed at least 73 people and wounded dozens.
The escalation in the region comes ahead of U.S. elections, with Israel seeking to secure its borders and prevent rivals from regrouping. Diplomatic efforts have yet to resolve the conflict.
The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon since the beginning of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict has reached 2,448, with injuries up to 11,471, according to a report on Saturday.
In Gaza, at least 42,519 people have been killed and 99,637 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and more than 200 were taken captive.
