Israel claims it killed Hezbollah top commander in south Beirut airstrike

Israel says they conducted an airstrike in a southern suburb of Beirut, claiming they killed Fuad Shukur, Hezbollah's top military leader. This strike was in response to a rocket attack that resulted in the deaths of 12 children over the weekend.

Shukur, also known as Hajj Mohsin, was described as a close assistant to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israel's military spokesperson R Adm Daniel Hagari during a late-night press conference.

A military strategist responsible for coordinating wartime tactics, he oversaw the majority of Hezbollah's sophisticated weaponry, such as precision-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs, as stated by Israel.

He was also wanted for a reward of $5 million in the United States for his involvement in the bombing of a US marine barracks in Beirut in 1983.

The foreign minister of Lebanon expressed surprise at the attack in Beirut, especially since Israel's allies had given assurances that the country was only preparing for a "small-scale retaliation" that would not escalate into war.

"We are worried about that, and we hope it will not lead to a war," Abdallah Bou Habib said to the Guardian. "We never thought that Beirut would be targeted. We believed that the Israelis would respect certain boundaries."

Lebanon intends to submit a formal complaint to the United Nations Security Council and request that Hezbollah respond with a proportional level of retaliation, he explained. "We are seeking an end to this ongoing cycle of destruction, violence, and loss of life."

The explosion happened at night on Tuesday in a residential building in Haret Hreik, a neighborhood where many Hezbollah supporters live. The blast was so loud that it could be heard throughout the city.

According to a statement from the Lebanese ministry of health, three individuals, including two kids, lost their lives and 74 others were hurt in the assault. Hezbollah has not responded to the Israeli allegations that Shukur was eliminated.

The upper three levels of the building crumbled, and rescue workers on cranes worked hard to remove the debris late into the night. "There could still be individuals stuck beneath the fallen materials," noted Ali Abbas, a member of the emergency response team. Broken glass caused injuries to numerous individuals in nearby structures, including a hospital in the vicinity, he explained.

The Lebanese government will have a sudden meeting tomorrow morning to talk about the assault, which the acting prime minister, Najib Mikati, criticized as a "criminal act."

"The Israeli military has continued to attack areas in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, and now they have even reached the center of Beirut, near one of Lebanon's largest hospitals," he stated.

Beirut was getting ready for how Israel would react to a rocket attack on a kids' soccer game in the Golan Heights that happened three days ago. Israel and the US say that Hezbollah is responsible for the attack, but Hezbollah says they didn't do it.

The United States has been taking the lead in a worldwide diplomatic campaign to urge Israel not to target Beirut or Lebanese buildings and facilities, with the goal of avoiding a larger regional conflict.

In a recent blog post following the attack, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant stated, "Hezbollah has gone too far."

The mayor of the northern city of Haifa, Yona Yahav, told the residents that the city is ready for anything and is working closely with the security forces. He encouraged them to pay attention to updates from the authorities.

In a recent statement, White House representative Karine Jean-Pierre indicated that the United States does not see a war between Hezbollah and Israel as unavoidable, which aligns with remarks made earlier by US defense secretary Lloyd Austin.

In Beirut, people were unsure. Smoke rose into the sky from the partially collapsed apartment building, causing concerned neighbors to quickly evacuate the area, afraid of more Israeli attacks.

"This place is no longer safe, I think there will be more attacks. We are considering heading to the mountains, it would be safer for us," expressed Mira Slim, a 20-year-old college student residing close to where the airstrike occurred, with tears in her eyes.

Lines also developed at gas stations throughout the city as individuals topped off their vehicles, cautious of a potential increase in prices.

Israel killed a high-ranking Hamas leader, Saleh al-Arouri, in a bombing in Beirut in January. The last time Israeli forces had attacked the city was during the 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, when airstrikes destroyed much of the Harek Hreik neighborhood that was hit again on Tuesday.

Russia quickly criticized the attack as breaking international laws. Iran, who supports Hezbollah, called the attack "immoral and cowardly aggression".

Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel, promised a strong retaliation for the attack in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. The military statement called it a direct reaction.

"The Israeli military conducted a precise attack in Beirut, targeting the leader accountable for the deaths of children in Majdal Shams and the murders of many more innocent Israeli citizens," stated the IDF.

But in selecting their target, Israel may have intended to communicate a larger message to Hezbollah that they have the ability to strike the group's top leaders in their protected areas.

Shukur is a part of the Jihad council, which is the most important military group in the organization. He is believed to be around 60 years old and comes from Baalbek, which is located in eastern Lebanon.

He has been part of Hezbollah missions during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, Hezbollah's involvement in the Syrian civil war in the 2010s, and the back-and-forth attacks between Hezbollah and Israel in the last 10 months.

"This strike is a significant concern and presents a difficult situation for Hezbollah. There is uncertainty about their next actions," commented Michael Hanna, the program director for Crisis Group in the United States.

"And next, you may find yourself caught in a cycle of escalating conflict, leading towards a situation that becomes uncontrollable, despite both sides preferring to avoid all-out war."

On Tuesday, several countries like the UK, Germany, France, and America advised their citizens to either leave Lebanon or refrain from going there. British foreign secretary, David Lammy, mentioned that the situation was changing rapidly and warned British nationals to evacuate Lebanon and halt any plans to visit the country.

Several airlines have stopped flying to Beirut. Aegean Airlines from Greece and Condor from Germany are the most recent airlines to suspend their services, following Royal Jordanian, Air France, and Lufthansa.

More information gathered from Andrew Roth in Washington DC and Michael Safi.