Israeli airstrike in Beirut targets Hezbollah commander, leaves 1 dead and 21 injured

Israel’s military on Sunday said it carried out an airstrike in Beirut targeting a senior militant of the Lebanese Iran-aligned Hezbollah group. The strike, which hit the southern suburbs of Lebanon’s capital, killed at least one person and wounded 21 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

In a brief statement, Israel claimed the attack was aimed at Hezbollah’s chief of staff, though it did not provide further details or confirm whether the target had been killed. The strike landed in the densely populated Haret Hreik neighbourhood, causing smoke to billow above residential buildings. Footage shared on social media showed crowds gathering near the affected apartment block, with heavy debris seen falling onto cars parked below.

Hezbollah parliamentarian Ali Ammar, speaking at the scene, described the location as an entirely civilian area. “This is definitely a civilian area and void of any military presence,” he said, without specifying who may have been targeted.

The building remained standing after the explosion, though rescue teams and firefighters had to push back large onlookers. Gunshots were fired in the air to disperse the crowds as emergency responders reached the site, and the Lebanese military later cordoned off the area.

The airstrike marks the first attack on Beirut since June and comes just days ahead of a scheduled visit to Lebanon by Pope Leo XIV. It follows a sharp escalation in Israeli air raids on southern Lebanon in recent weeks.

Israel and the United States have been pressing Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, while the Lebanese military has drafted a government-approved plan that calls for the dismantling of the group’s arsenal. Israel maintains that Hezbollah is rebuilding its military capabilities in southern Lebanon — a claim that the Lebanese government denies.

Lebanon and United Nations peacekeeping forces have criticised the continued Israeli strikes, accusing Israel of repeated ceasefire violations. President Joseph Aoun has said Lebanon is willing to enter negotiations with Israel to stop the attacks and secure withdrawal from five hill-top positions occupied by Israeli forces, though it remains uncertain whether Israel will agree.

Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have reiterated their commitment to disarming all non-state armed groups in the country, including Hezbollah.

The latest strike comes after an Israeli attack on Tuesday killed 13 people in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh near Sidon — the deadliest incident since the current ceasefire took effect. The Israeli military said it had hit a Hamas military facility, a claim Hamas denied, saying it has no military infrastructure inside the crowded camp.