Israel launches Beirut attack targeting Hezbollah leader Hashim Safi al-Din

Israel attacked a targeted strike in southern Beirut on Wednesday night, aimed at Hashim Safi al-Din, head of Hezbollah's executive committee and the potential successor to Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s current leader.

The strike occurred in a Hezbollah stronghold, raising questions about whether Safi al-Din, reportedly in a deep underground bunker, was killed. Israeli officials confirmed the attack but stated that Safi al-Din’s fate remains unclear.

Safi al-Din has been designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. State Department since 2017.

His leadership position within Hezbollah and his close ties to Iran have made him a prominent figure in the group's operations.

Lebanese media reports indicate that this strike was considerably larger than the one that claimed the life of Nasrallah earlier, intensifying the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The exact number of casualties from the attack is still unknown, with tensions continuing to rise in the region.

Ealier yesterday, Israel attacked another airstrike on central Beirut, killing six people and wounding seven others. This marks the closest Israeli attack to Lebanon’s government headquarters amidst the ongoing regional violence.

The airstrike targeted a building in the Bachoura neighbourhood near Lebanon’s parliament, according to Israeli officials. Lebanese health authorities confirmed the casualties, and witnesses described a massive explosion, with images on social media showing the building engulfed in flames.

In addition to the Bachoura attack, three missiles hit the southern suburb of Dahiyeh, a known Hezbollah stronghold.

Loud explosions were reported as Israeli forces targeted what they claimed were Hezbollah-affiliated sites. Dahiyeh had already been under heavy fire from Israeli attacks the previous day.

These attacks come after Israel's deadliest day of invasion in southern Lebanon in over a year.

On Wednesday, eight Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon, marking a significant blow to Israeli forces since the invasion began.

Hezbollah fighters retaliated, reportedly destroying three Israeli Merkava tanks near Maroun El Ras and repelling an Israeli unit.

This recent escalation follows an unprecedented missile barrage from Iran earlier in the week, where over 180 missiles were launched in retaliation for Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a previous strike. Tensions between Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran continue to intensify, with no immediate resolution in sight.