Smoke filled the sky over Beirut’s southern suburbs on Saturday morning after a series of heavy Israeli airstrikes overnight, which Israel claims killed multiple Hezbollah commanders, including leader Hassan Nasrallah. Although Hezbollah has not confirmed these claims, Israeli forces assert that the strike targeted Hezbollah’s leadership during a meeting at their Dahiyeh headquarters.
The attacks, which began Friday and continued into early Saturday, follow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vow at the United Nations to intensify Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah. More than 720 people have died in Lebanon since the conflict escalated earlier in the week, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Over 211,000 people have been displaced, with shelters overflowing in Beirut as families flee the violence.
As Israeli airstrikes continued across southern Lebanon, Hezbollah responded by launching a barrage of rockets into northern Israel. Meanwhile, Israel has mobilized additional reserve forces, signalling preparation for a potential ground invasion.
In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes also killed two people in the Nuseirat refugee camp as violence continues across multiple fronts.