Israel’s military has struck the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, in a dramatic escalation in a year-long period of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah
Lebanese security sources say the strike targeted a top Hezbollah figure, according to multiple reports. At least eight people were killed and 59 were wounded, Lebanese health officials told The Associated Press
11:30 a.m. EDT: Target reported, fire returned
Video published by Reuters shows a crowd gathered around a large building, where a collapsed wall reveals the structure’s interior
The outlet is reporting the target was Hezbollah’s operations commander Ibrahim Aqil, citing two security sources in Lebanon and Israeli Army Radio
Meanwhile, missiles from Israel’s air defense system Iron Dome left long streaks of smoke in the air as they intercepted return fire towards northern Israel after the Beirut strike
10:50 a.m. EDT: ‘This is now an open conflict’
“This is now an open conflict against Hezbollah and southern Lebanon,” military analyst and retired Maj. Gen. David Fraser told CTV News Channel
He says the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has demonstrated a distinct switch in strategy this week, demonstrated by “a division of 10,000 soldiers going up to the northern border with Lebanon, (and) the fact that we’ve had the attacks on Hezbollah in the last couple of days.”
As hostilities increase, so too does the risk of instigating conflicts with other nations
“What happens if an ambassador to another country gets killed?” Fraser asked. “You cannot control these things the way you’d like to.”
He says despite worldwide condemnation of enduring strikes and counterstrikes, ceasefire negotiations are at a standstill. He criticized Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, adding “they don’t seem to be interested in finding a political solution.”
“I worry for the 100 hostages. They’re still stuck in Gaza. It’s almost like we’ve forgotten about them.”
10:10 a.m. EDT: An explosive week
The strike comes after 48 hours of chaos in Lebanon. Earlier this week, an apparently co-ordinated operation targeting communications devices caused them to explode simultaneously
The incident, which has been widely attributed to Israel, killed 12, injured thousands and started countless fires
“Detonating devices in civilian areas is clearly a war crime,” Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad Friday
