Array
A rare Israeli strike in central Beirut killed the Hezbollah militant group’s chief spokesman on Sunday, while an Israeli strike in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya killed at least 30 people, the director of a hospital there told The Associated Press.
Mohammed Afif was killed in a strike on the Arab socialist Baath party’s office in Beirut, according to a Hezbollah official who was not authorized to brief reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity. Afif had been especially visible after all-out war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah in September.
It was the latest targeted killing of senior Hezbollah officials. On Sunday night, another strike in central Beirut hit a computer shop, killing two people and wounding 13, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
The strikes occurred as Lebanese officials consider a United States-led cease-fire proposal. Israel also bombed several buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has long been headquartered, after warning people to evacuate.
There was no Israeli evacuation warning before the strike near a busy intersection in central Beirut that killed Afif. An AP photographer there saw four bodies and four wounded people. There was no comment from the Israeli military.
“I was asleep and awoke from the sound of the strike, and people screaming, and cars and gunfire,” said witness Suheil Halabi. “I was startled, honestly. This is the first time I experience it so close.”
After the second strike in central Beirut on Sunday night, firefighters struggled to control the blaze in the busy residential neighborhood of Mar Elias. Small explosions could be heard in the shop. Bystanders said they heard a second explosion and a car nearby appeared to be hit.
Hezbollah began firing rockets, missiles and drones into Israel the day after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack ignited the war in Gaza. Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes in Lebanon and the conflict steadily escalated.
Israeli forces invaded Lebanon on Oct. 1.
