A series of powerful explosions rocked the southern outskirts of Beirut near Rafik Hariri International Airport on Friday night. The target of the strikes on Beirut could be the cousin of the assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hashim Safi al-Din, the BBC writes, reports UNN.
Details
Sources close to Hezbollah AFP reported that the Israeli army had carried out at least 11 strikes on the group's facilities. “Israel has struck the southern suburbs 11 times in a row,” the source said.
Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) stated that “more than 10 consecutive strikes were recorded, in what was one of the most powerful raids on the southern suburbs of Beirut.” According to the NNA, the roar of the strikes could be heard in mountainous areas outside Beirut.
The Israeli Defense Forces did not comment on the attack, but earlier called on civilians in southern Beirut to evacuate. “You are close to Hezbollah-owned targets and the Israeli army will be working on them in the near future,” IDF spokesman Avihai Adrai wrote on the social network X in Arabic.
Швеція підозрює, що за атаками на ізраїльські посольства може стояти Іран04.10.24, 09:31
It is noted that the Beirut airport borders the Dahiya district, a Hezbollah stronghold and a constant target of Israeli air strikes.
According to Axios and CNN, citing sources, the target of the strikes on Beirut could be the cousin of the slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hashim Safi al-Din. He was named as Nasrallah's likely successor as head of the group. It is not yet known whether he was injured in the strikes.
On Thursday evening, an AFP source also reported that another Israeli strike targeted a warehouse near Beirut airport. It is unclear what exactly was in the warehouse, the agency writes.
Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported that 37 people were killed and 151 wounded in Israeli strikes over the past day.
Israel, for its part, accused Hezbollah militants of firing about 230 rockets from Lebanon into Israeli territory on Thursday.
Recall
The Israeli Defense Forces said it carried out strikes on Thursday against Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters in Beirut.
Нетаньягу про ракетний удар по Ізраїлю: Іран зробив велику помилку і заплатить за неї02.10.24, 09:16