Israel conducted a rare airstrike in a densely populated neighborhood in southern Beirut on Friday, resulting in the death of a senior Hezbollah military official. According to Lebanese authorities, the strike was the deadliest on Lebanon’s capital in decades, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military’s chief spokesman, confirmed that the strike in Beirut’s Dahiya district killed Ibrahim Akil, a commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, along with 10 other Hezbollah operatives. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized that the operation, which targeted Akil, marked a new phase of conflict aimed at defending Israeli citizens.
Hezbollah later confirmed Akil’s death, describing him as a significant jihadist leader who had led a life filled with sacrifices and achievements. Akil had served on Hezbollah’s Jihad Council and was sanctioned by the United States for his alleged involvement in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, which killed over 300 people.
In 2022, the U.S. State Department offered a $7 million reward for information leading to Akil’s identification, location, arrest, or conviction due to his role in the embassy bombing and the taking of American and German hostages in the 1980s.
The airstrike occurred amid escalating tensions that have heightened fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East. Earlier, Hezbollah launched 140 rockets into northern Israel, following explosions attributed to Israeli actions that targeted members of the Shiite militant group.
The Israeli military did not disclose the identities of the other Hezbollah operatives killed in the strike, which occurred in a crowded neighborhood near downtown Beirut. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that at least 14 people died, with 66 others wounded, nine of whom were in serious condition. Lebanese media broadcast images of first responders searching through the rubble in Dahiya.
The rescue efforts continued late into Friday night as emergency personnel worked to clear debris and locate victims. This airstrike, the deadliest on a Beirut neighborhood since the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, took place during rush hour.
Following the attack, crowds gathered to donate blood for the injured at Beirut’s St. Therese Hospital. Meanwhile, Gallant briefed senior military officials in Israel and reiterated the country’s commitment to confronting Hezbollah.
The recent escalation included Hezbollah’s intense rocket bombardments, largely intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, resulting in minimal damage and no casualties in Israel. Hezbollah has framed its latest rocket salvos as responses to prior Israeli strikes, not as retaliations for the recent explosions of Hezbollah communication devices, which killed 37 individuals.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the explosions, which have significantly escalated the conflict along the Israel-Lebanon border. Since Hamas’s assault on southern Israel on October 7, which triggered Israel’s offensive in Gaza, cross-border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah have been frequent.
The last significant Israeli strike in Beirut occurred in July, killing senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur. Hagari emphasized the importance of the recent strike in protecting Israel, labeling both Shukur and Akil as close military associates of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah subsequently announced attacks on northern Israel, highlighting two strikes on an intelligence base that it claimed directed assassinations. Israel remains on high alert, with Nasrallah vowing continued attacks despite recent setbacks.
Israel has increased its military presence on the northern border and issued guidance for residents near the border with Lebanon to stay close to bomb shelters. Hezbollah maintains that its operations will cease only with a Gaza cease-fire.
Hamas condemned the Israeli strike on Akil as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty, even as casualties in Gaza rise. Palestinian health authorities reported that Israeli strikes killed 15 people, including children, on Friday. The Gaza-based Health Ministry has reported over 41,000 Palestinian deaths since the beginning of Israel’s campaign in the region.
The Israeli military stated that it takes precautions to mitigate civilian harm and accused Hamas of endangering civilians by operating in residential areas. Israel’s ongoing bombardment and invasion of Gaza, in response to the October 7 attacks by Hamas, have caused extensive destruction and displaced a significant portion of Gaza’s population.
