Three PFLP leaders killed in Israeli attack inside Beirut as tensions rise across the region

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said the strike hit the upper floor of a Beirut apartment building

BEIRUT:

A Palestinian group announced on Monday that three of its leaders were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. This was the first attack within the city's limits as Israel intensifies its operations against Iran’s regional allies.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) reported that the strike occurred in Beirut’s Kola district and targeted the upper floor of an apartment building, according to Reuters witnesses. The Israeli military has not commented on the incident.

Israel’s increasing number of attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi militia in Yemen has raised concerns that the conflict in the Middle East could spiral out of control, potentially involving Iran and the United States, Israel’s key ally. The PFLP is among the groups involved in the conflict against Israel.

On Sunday, Israel carried out airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and dozens of Hezbollah positions across Lebanon, following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. The Houthi-controlled health ministry reported that at least four people were killed and 29 injured in the strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port. In Lebanon, officials confirmed that at least 105 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes on Sunday alone.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry stated that over 1,000 Lebanese have been killed, and 6,000 have been injured in the past two weeks, although it did not specify how many of these casualties were civilians. The government estimates that one million people — approximately a fifth of the population — have been displaced from their homes.

Over the past fortnight, Israel’s bombardment has claimed the lives of several senior Hezbollah officials, including its leader Nasrallah. Israel has pledged to continue its offensive, aiming to secure its northern regions for residents forced to leave due to Hezbollah’s rocket attacks.

Israeli drones were observed over Beirut for much of Sunday, with powerful explosions from renewed airstrikes reverberating through the capital. Displaced families were seen sleeping on benches at Zaitunay Bay, a popular waterfront area filled with restaurants and cafes.

Most of Israel’s previous strikes have focused on southern Lebanon, where the Iranian-backed Hezbollah primarily operates, or the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Monday’s strike in the Kola district appears to be the first attack within the city limits. Residents reported that Syrian refugees, who had fled Israeli bombardments in southern Lebanon, had been sheltering under a nearby bridge for several days.