The escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah took a deadly turn on Friday when Israel launched a rare airstrike on Beirut, Lebanon. The attack, which targeted Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Akil, resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people, including three children, and injured over 60, according to Lebanon’s public health ministry. The airstrike has further escalated tensions between the two sides, with renewed exchanges of fire reported on Saturday.
The United Nations has called for diplomacy, but the situation remains volatile. Iran, a staunch supporter of Hezbollah, has warned that the region is “on the brink of war.” Hezbollah, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, has confirmed the deaths of 19 of its fighters, including Akil, in the strike. This brings the total number of Hezbollah fighters killed since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7 to 499.
Israel has confirmed killing at least 16 Hezbollah fighters in the recent strike. The exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah has been ongoing since Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel, triggering a devastating Israeli military offensive in Gaza.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory during the nearly year-long Israel-Hamas war. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count but says a little over half of those killed were women and children. Israel claims to have killed over 17,000 militants, but has not provided evidence to support this claim.
The United States has responded to the airstrike with a statement from White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who called the reported death of Ibrahim Akil “a good outcome.” Sullivan also announced plans to speak with Israeli officials about the operation. Akil, the main target of the Friday strike, had been sought by the U.S. for years for his alleged role in the 1983 bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut and his involvement in the hostage-taking of American and German citizens in Lebanon in the 1980s. He was under U.S. sanctions and, in 2023, the U.S. State Department offered a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to his “identification, location, arrest, and/or conviction.”
The latest escalation in the conflict is a stark reminder of the volatile situation in the region, with the potential for further violence and instability. As the international community calls for diplomacy, the focus remains on preventing the conflict from spiraling out of control.
