The Israeli military claimed to have killed the Hamas leader in southern Syria, Ahmed Muhammad Fahd. The IDF stated that Fahd was responsible for carrying out terrorist operations against IDF forces and Israel. Following this event, Israeli fighter jets bombarded Beirut’s southern suburbs, leading to panicked families fleeing the area. Hundreds of families spent the night seeking shelter in downtown Beirut after the heavy shelling. Israel claimed that it was targeting Hezbollah’s headquarters, while reports indicated that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was the target. Lebanon’s health ministry announced the evacuation of hospitals in Beirut’s southern suburbs due to the Israeli strikes.
In response to Israel’s attacks, Hezbollah bombed Safed in northern Israel and announced more attacks in other areas. The Israeli military also claimed to have killed the commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit in southern Lebanon. International reactions to the escalating situation included US President Joe Biden directing the Pentagon to assess American forces in the Middle East. The European Union’s foreign affairs chief voiced regret over Netanyahu’s actions, while protests against Israeli attacks took place in Iranian cities and Yemen.
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the Middle East. The strikes occurred after a speech by Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly, where he rejected calls for a ceasefire and claimed Israel was winning its wars. The escalating conflict has raised fears of further escalation and potential involvement of Iran and the United States.
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