Israel’s Strike on Beirut Claims 37 Lives, According to Lebanon

By Timour Azhari and Emily Rose

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM – On Saturday, rescue workers in Beirut continued their search for individuals still missing under the rubble, following an Israeli airstrike that targeted Hezbollah commanders and resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people in a suburb of the Lebanese capital, according to local authorities.

Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed group, confirmed that 16 of its members were among the casualties, including senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and another commander, Ahmed Wahbi. This strike marked the deadliest incident in nearly a year of ongoing conflict with Israel.

The Israeli military stated that it targeted a meeting of Aqil alongside leaders from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan forces, asserting that it had significantly undermined the group’s military command structure.

The attack destroyed a multi-story residential building in the crowded suburb and damaged a nearby nursery. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, three children and seven women were among those killed.

Cross-border hostilities escalated further on Saturday as Israeli warplanes executed their most intense bombardment in 11 months across southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah claimed to have launched rocket attacks on military installations in northern Israel.

The Israeli military reported hitting around 180 targets and claimed to have destroyed thousands of rocket launch barrels.

The strike on Friday significantly intensified the hostilities and dealt another blow to Hezbollah, following two days of attacks that saw electronic devices used by its members detonated. The death toll from those incidents has risen to 39, with more than 3,000 individuals injured.

While the attacks on communications devices were widely attributed to Israel, the country has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati subsequently canceled a planned trip to the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed concern over the potential escalation but remarked that the assassination of a top Hezbollah leader served justice, as the group is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Sullivan noted, "While the risk of escalation is real, there remains a distinct path toward ending hostilities and achieving a durable solution that ensures security for both sides."

ISRAEL PREPARES FOR RETALIATION

Hezbollah has vowed to continue its fight against Israel until the latter agrees to a ceasefire in its war against Hamas in Gaza, a conflict that escalated following a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7. However, U.S. officials believe that a ceasefire is unlikely in the near future. Israel demands that Hezbollah cease fire and withdraw its forces from the border region in accordance with a U.N. resolution established in 2006, regardless of any developments related to Gaza.

In anticipation of possible retaliation, the Israeli military imposed restrictions on gatherings and increased the alert level for residents in northern communities, extending alerts as far south as Haifa, signaling concerns that Hezbollah might strike deeper into Israeli territory.

Residents in southern Lebanon reported hearing massive explosions that lit up the night sky as Israel continued its airstrikes.

Hezbollah-affiliated transport minister Ali Hamieh reported that at least 23 individuals remain missing following the airstrike in a Beirut suburb, asserting, "The Israeli enemy is taking the region to war."

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced on social media that Israel had entered a new phase of conflict on the northern border, stating, "The actions in this new phase will continue until we achieve our goal: the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes."

The ongoing conflict has caused tens of thousands to flee their homes on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border since Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Despite Hezbollah’s commitment to a severe response, an Israeli official suggested that this escalation might encourage Hezbollah to pursue a diplomatic solution. Efforts led by the U.S. to mediate a border resolution between Israel and Lebanon have yet to yield results.

On Saturday, the Israeli military claimed it had been "striking extensively" in southern Lebanon to counter plans by Hezbollah to target communities in Israel.

Early Sunday morning, Hezbollah announced that it had launched a missile barrage at Israel’s Ramat David Airbase in retaliation for prior Israeli attacks, which resulted in civilian casualties. The Israeli military reported intercepting these missiles, but hours later, Hezbollah confirmed another missile attack on the same airbase.

A recent U.S. summit, hosted by President Joe Biden with leaders from Japan, India, and Australia, emphasized the importance of preventing the Gaza conflict from escalating further in the region, although it did not specifically address the Israel-Hezbollah tensions.

In light of the escalating violence, the U.S. State Department renewed its travel advisory for Lebanon, cautioning citizens against traveling to the country and urging those already present to leave while commercial options remain available.

Meanwhile, airspace in northern Israel, from Hadera northward, has been closed to private flights; however, international flights continue to operate normally, according to the military.

With at least 70 individuals killed in Lebanon this past week, the total conflict-related fatalities in the country since October have surpassed 740, marking the most severe escalation since the 2006 war.

The U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, described the strike in a densely populated area of Beirut as part of "an extremely dangerous cycle of violence with devastating consequences" and called for immediate action to end the hostilities.