Israel’s army carried out two airstrikes on the Lebanese capital on Thursday night, killing at least 18 people and injuring 92 others, according to the health ministry.
The neighboring, densely populated districts of Ras al-Nabeh and Nuweiri were targeted. The Times of Israel reported that the target of the attack was a senior Hezbollah official.
AFP television showed thick smoke rising over the capital.
A source close to the security services said the target was at least one high-ranking Hezbollah official. This area has never been hit by Israel before and is far from the southern suburbs, Hezbollah’s stronghold, which have been bombed repeatedly.
Jewish and Arab media are reporting that the target of tonight’s major IDF airstrike in downtown Beirut was the head of Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit, Wafiq Safa.
Reports: The target of the Israeli attack in Beirut is Vepik Spa, who is responsible for coordination and liaison in Hezbollah, was Nasrallah’s man for special missions pic.twitter.com/WXJmYiNAil
— roi kais • Roi Kays • Roi Kays (@kaisos1987) October 10, 2024
Safa was sanctioned in 2019 by the US Treasury Department, which described him as Hezbollah’s interlocutor with Lebanese security forces.
“As the head of Hezbollah’s security apparatus, who is directly linked to Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, Safa exploited Lebanon’s ports and border crossings to smuggle goods and facilitate travel on behalf of Hezbollah, undermining security and the protection of the Lebanese people, while at the same time draining valuable import duties and revenue from the Government of Lebanon,” the finance ministry wrote at the time.
Israeli drone airstrike targeted a residential building in Beirut within walking distance from downtown, Lebanon
Some reports suggest the target is Khatam Al Anbiyaa in Basta, a traditional working-class neighbourhood close to the centre of Beirut, full of unique… pic.twitter.com/flpkf4uknW
— Saad Abedine (@SaadAbedine) October 10, 2024
This is the third such attack beyond Beirut’s southern suburbs since Israel stepped up its campaign against Hezbollah last month.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to Reuters said one of the bombings took place next to a petrol station. A large fire raged in the background as rescuers, flashlights in hand, searched for survivors in the rubble, according to footage broadcast by Hezbollah’s al-Manar channel.
The Israeli occupation just bombed an entire residential building between Noweiri and Ras al Naba’a n Beirut to the ground
Many casualties reported. pic.twitter.com/50g5JSXssj
— Hussein (@EyesOnSouth1) October 10, 2024
There is currently no announcement from the Israeli army about this attack. Earlier it issued a new evacuation order for the southern suburbs of Beirut, for specific buildings.
BREAKING:
Very unusual #IDF airstrike on a target in *central* #Beirut.
Initial reports say that two targets, apparently apartments, were hit near the National Museum of #Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/GHZh2ifY7T
— Ori Miller (@orielishamiller) October 10, 2024
The business in South Lebanon
Israel’s military said tonight that its forces had opened fire near UNIFIL’s general staff in southern Lebanon, claiming it had previously asked the UN peacekeepers to remain “in protected areas”.
“Army forces were operating in the area of Nakura, next to a UNIFIL base. “The soldiers then ordered the UN forces present in that zone to stay in protected areas and then opened fire,” the army said in a statement.
The United States is “deeply concerned” by reports that Israeli forces have opened fire on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, a White House National Security Council spokesman said tonight.
“We understand that Israel is conducting targeted operations near the Blue Line to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure that could be used to threaten Israeli civilians,” the spokesman said. , adding: “While these operations are underway, it is critical that the security of UN peacekeepers,” the UNIFIL mission, is not threatened.
Businesses in Gaza
The Israeli army announced this evening that three soldiers were killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip.
In the northern part of the Palestinian enclave, Israeli forces are continuing operations that began six days ago, when they sent troops to Jabalia.
The three reservists, all soldiers of the 460th Brigade’s 5460th Support Unit, are Master Sergeant Ori Moshe Borenstein, 32, of Moreshet, Major Netanel Hershkovitz, 37, of Jerusalem, and Master Sergeant Tzvi Matityahu Marantz, 32, of Bnei Adam. The army released the photos of the three dead.
Their deaths bring the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza to 353. Palestinian health officials say at least 130 people have been killed so far in the operation in Jabalia, which Israel says is aimed at preventing a regrouping of Hamas.
The army has asked residents to leave the area, where the UN estimates more than 400,000 people are trapped.
The Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) also reported that men from the Nahal brigade destroyed a Hamas training center in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
Health officials said the Israeli military yesterday gave patients and medics 24 hours to leave the Indonesian Hospital as well as Al-Audah and Kamal Antoan or risk being raided, as happened in an earlier phase of the war at Al-Sifah Hospital. in Gaza City.
Source: www.enikos.gr
