Israeli Attack in Beirut Claims Hezbollah Spokesman’s Life; Gaza Strike Results in 30 Fatalities
In a rare and violent escalation, an Israeli strike in the heart of Beirut claimed the life of Mohammed Afif al-Naboulsi, Hezbollah’s chief spokesperson, on Sunday. Meanwhile, tensions also flared in northern Gaza, where an airstrike in Beit Lahiya left at least 30 dead, according to the local hospital director speaking to The Associated Press.
Hezbollah acknowledged al-Naboulsi’s death in a statement, noting that he was killed at the Arab Socialist Baath Party’s headquarters. Al-Naboulsi had gained prominence when tensions between Israel and Hezbollah reached a boiling point in September.
Israel, in its own announcement, depicted him as someone deeply embedded in Hezbollah’s military activities, both celebrating and provoking attacks on Israel’s soil.
This assassination marks just another chapter in a series of assaults aimed at high-ranking Hezbollah members. On the same Sunday evening, another bomb struck central Beirut; this time, a computer store felt the impact, resulting in two fatalities and 22 injuries, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The Israeli military remained silent on the incident.
These attacks coincided with Lebanese officials mulling over a U.S.-proposed ceasefire. “These actions highlight Israel’s persistent aggression,” said Lebanese MP Faisal Al Sayegh. “Their negotiation tactics appear to include relentless bombings, hitting even the presumed safe havens.”
In the southern suburbs of Beirut, long a Hezbollah stronghold, Israeli planes bombarded several buildings post-evacuation warnings to civilians.
Sounds of chaos echoed in central Beirut, as al-Naboulsi met his end. The strike near a bustling crossroad caught many unawares, killing four and injuring 14, including two children, the Health Ministry reported.
“I woke up to explosions, cries, and gunfire,” narrated Suheil Halabi. “Everything was in mayhem and confusion.”
After the subsequent strike in Mar Elias, firefighters grappled with controlling the inferno in this dense residential area. Eyewitnesses noted an additional explosion, with a nearby vehicle caught in the crossfire.
Following Hamas’ audacious assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked Gaza’s war, Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones, and missiles at Israel. This incited Israeli retaliations, including aerial strikes on Lebanon, which have steadily intensified.
October 1 saw Israeli troops edging into Lebanon. More recently, mobile artillery units, crossing the border for the first time, began bombarding Hezbollah locations.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry has reported over 3,400 fatalities, while more than 1.2 million people have been displaced from their homes. It’s still uncertain how many among the dead were Hezbollah fighters.
Hezbollah has consistently targeted Israel, causing the deaths of at least 76 individuals, 31 of whom were soldiers, and resulting in the displacement of approximately 60,000 people. The Israeli emergency team, Magen David Adom, reported that a teen in Upper Galilee sustained injuries from an explosion on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military continued its campaign in northern Gaza amidst claims of Hamas regrouping.
“It was a night without rest,” recounted Dalal al-Bakri, a Beit Lahiya resident. “Everything around us was destroyed… the devastation is immense.”
Umm Hamza added with a tone of desperation, “The cold bites and we remain directionless.”
Reports from earlier established that Israeli attacks had claimed lives in Nuseirat and Bureij, refugee camps steeped in history from the 1948 conflict. Additionally, a strike on Gaza’s crucial north-south highway resulted in casualties, as reported by Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
Israel acknowledged the loss of two soldiers in northern Gaza on Sunday.
The genesis of the latest showdown traces back to Palestinian militants’ incursion into Israel on Oct. 7 last year, a brazen move that ended with around 1,200 dead, mostly civilians, and approximately 250 captives. Today, around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, although one-third are presumed dead.
On Sunday, Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, met with military and intelligence leaders to deliberate mediation avenues to rescue the captives. This dialogue is publicized for the first time after Qatar ceased its mediation involvement earlier.
Gaza’s Health Ministry has documented around 43,800 Palestinian casualties since the conflict began. Women and children represent more than half, yet the records make no distinction between civilians and fighters.
Currently, nearly 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are homeless, and sweeping areas bear the scars of relentless Israeli shelling and ground incursions.
Adding his voice to the calls for peace, Pope Francis suggested that an inquiry be launched to determine if Israeli assaults on Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts from an upcoming book.
Turning to domestic matters, Israeli authorities detained three individuals after flares were lobbed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea. Although Netanyahu’s family was away, this event follows a month after a Hezbollah drone targeted the locale in their absence.
Information about the detainees is under wraps, yet suspicions align with Netanyahu’s local political challengers, amid his turbulent tenure marked by massive protests.
Allegations against him include security mishaps leading to the Oct. 7 incident and failures in brokering hostage release deals with Hamas. Further unrest stems from the ultra-Orthodox sector over military draft orders, evidenced by protests Sunday in Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox enclave near Tel Aviv, following the government’s issuance of 7,000 draft notices.
— Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Contributions were made by Associated Press correspondents Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem, and reporters Kareem Chehayeb and Abby Sewell in Beirut.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
