The Israeli military unleashed an intense barrage on southern Beirut late Thursday, marking one of the fiercest offensives since the campaign escalated last week.
An insider connected to Hezbollah revealed to AFP that Israel executed 11 back-to-back strikes on the group’s firm grounds in Lebanon’s capital.
Hashem Safieddine, tipped to succeed Hassan Nasrallah as Hezbollah’s chief and the current head of its executive council, was reportedly the target of these attacks, according to reports by the New York Times and Axios, citing Israeli sources. The aftermath of what was believed to be an assault on a congregation of top Hezbollah officials remains a mystery.
Fresh footage depicted towering flame balls at the impacted area, with dense smoke swirling and bursts of light scattering. Journalists within and outside the capital heard thundering sounds that activated car alarms and caused buildings to tremble.
Earlier on Thursday, Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson, urgently advised residents to vacate the Burj al-Barajneh area in south Beirut. Subsequently, he issued an evacuation command for the Hadath neighborhood.
“You are located near Hezbollah facilities and interests, and the IDF will target them shortly,” Adraee declared on X.
Safieddine chairs Hezbollah’s top political body, the executive council, and was regarded as second-in-command in the group’s political arm, succeeding Nasrallah, who was reportedly killed by Israeli air raids in Dahiyeh last week.
Although Safieddine is recognized as the upcoming leader, no formal succession has been announced following the former leader’s demise.
Previously, Hezbollah’s political figures, including Nasrallah and Safieddine, were perceived as unlikely targets for Israel during conflicts. On Thursday, an Israeli airstrike aimed at the group’s media office building in southern Beirut, but it’s unclear if any staff were present.
Earlier that evening, AFP learned from a Hezbollah-connected source that another Israeli attack targeted a warehouse near Beirut airport.
This week marked the onset of Israeli “ground raids” into parts of southern Lebanon, following relentless assaults on Hezbollah sites.
Israel’s strikes on Hezbollah strongholds aligned with its considerations of retaliation following Tuesday’s Iranian missile attack.
On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed hope that full-scale war in the Middle East can still be averted, stating, “Much needs to be done yet.”
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, plans to lead Friday prayers, shedding light on Iran’s strategy post-missile offensive.
Khamenei’s rare Friday sermon—the first in nearly half a decade—is set three days prior to the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas strike on Israel. The last time Khamenei delivered Friday prayers was in January 2020, following Iran’s ballistic answer to the killing of Qassem Suleimani.
The sermon will be accompanied by a “commemoration ceremony” for Nasrallah. Iran claimed its missile launch as “self-defense” and cautioned of additional “crushing attacks” if provoked further.
Iran also warned the U.S. against involvement, threatening a “harsh response” if they do. Washington has insisted that Iran will endure “consequences,” possibly in tandem with Israeli authorities, for the missile launch.
On Thursday, Biden noted ongoing talks about potential Israeli hits on Iranian oil facilities.
Edited by: Ali Musa
Axadle international–Monitoring
