Hassan Nasrallah
Photo : AP
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Israel’s strike targeted Hezbollah’s main headquarters in Dahiyeh, Beirut, leveling six buildings in a densely populated area.
- Speculation surrounds whether Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, was the intended target, with Israeli sources suggesting he may have been.
- Widespread evacuations have taken place in Lebanon as fears of a Hezbollah retaliation grow, following warnings from Israel’s home front command.
The Israeli military launched a strike on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday. The objective, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), was Hezbollah’s central headquarters located in Dahiyeh, a heavily populated region and the group’s heartland, The Guardian reported.
Six buildings were reportedly “levelled to the ground” in the attack, according to the state-run National News Agency of Lebanon. Though the Israeli army failed to confirm if Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, was the target, Israeli media speculated that he was. An Israeli insider told Axios that Nasrallah was the target after all, and the military was now determining whether or not he was hit, the new agency reported.
Will Hezbollah Retaliate?
There were fears of a major Hezbollah reprisal following the strike, which was a component of Israel’s larger military operations. The home front command of Israel has already warned citizens of Golan Heights, Safed, and Merom HaGalil to keep close to bunkers in case Hezbollah and its allies in Yemen and Iran retaliate.
According to the Guardian, along with the locals, many people from the adjacent Palestinian refugee camp of Burj al-Barajneh also left Dahiyeh as a result of the attacks. While some departed with little more than the clothing on their backs, many carried luggage. Unoccupied flats in safer places, such Achrafieh and the neighboring mountain regions, were requested.
This is Lebanon’s second significant relocation in as many weeks. Over 90,000 people in southern Lebanon were uprooted by a previous Israeli bombing attack on Monday. Since then, 76 injuries have been reported, prompting hospitals to request blood donations; however, the precise number is anticipated to increase as rescue efforts continue.
Fears of a wider clash between Israel and Hezbollah are growing as tensions between the two parties rise. Many are curious about Hezbollah’s response as Israel’s assault appears to be directed towards a valuable target based on its timing and scope, Guardian reported.
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