Israeli airstrikes hit Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday, shaking the Lebanese capital and sending plumes of smoke into the sky, according to the Israeli military.
An Israeli source told Axios that the strike was aimed at Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and the military was checking whether he had been hit.
However, a source close to Hezbollah informed Reuters that Nasrallah was unharmed, a claim also echoed by Iran’s Tasnim news agency. Additionally, a senior Iranian security official mentioned that Tehran was verifying his status.
Hezbollah’s al-Manar television reported that multiple strikes destroyed four buildings and caused numerous casualties, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
The Israeli military described the operation as a “precise strike” targeting Hezbollah’s headquarters, located beneath residential areas in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district. Israel has hit this Hezbollah-controlled area four times in the past week, resulting in the deaths of at least three senior Hezbollah military commanders.
Friday’s strikes were notably more powerful, with explosions shaking windows across Beirut. The scale of the attack evoked memories of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. In a televised statement, Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari emphasized that Hezbollah’s command center was deeply embedded within civilian infrastructure.
The airstrikes followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations, where he vowed to continue attacking Iranian-backed fighters in Lebanon, despite fading hopes for a ceasefire that could prevent a broader regional war.
The attack was described as Israel’s most forceful operation in Beirut in nearly a year of hostilities with Hezbollah. Lebanese security sources confirmed that the strikes targeted a location where senior Hezbollah officials typically operate.
Al-Manar TV broadcast footage showing a smoldering crater at the site of the strike.
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have sharply escalated in recent days. Israeli airstrikes have reportedly killed over 700 people in Lebanon, raising concerns about an even larger conflict between the heavily armed adversaries.
During his U.N. General Assembly address, Netanyahu declared, “As long as Hezbollah chooses the path of war, Israel has no choice, and Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their homes safely.”
He added, “Israel has been tolerating this intolerable situation for nearly a year. Well, I’ve come here today to say enough is enough.”
Netanyahu’s speech was met with a mixed response, as several delegations walked out while his supporters in the gallery cheered.
Israel’s ongoing military campaign aims to secure the return of tens of thousands of Israelis forced to evacuate northern regions due to Hezbollah’s rocket attacks, launched in solidarity with Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is fighting Israel in Gaza.
The escalating conflict has displaced around 100,000 people in Lebanon, bringing the total number of displaced individuals in the country to more than 200,000.
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