The Israeli military launched a strike on Tuesday targeting the Lebanese capital Beirut. The strike aimed at a militant commander allegedly responsible for the deaths of 12 children and teenagers in a rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights over the weekend. Israel has blamed the attack on the Hezbollah militant group, which has denied any involvement.
A Hezbollah official and the group’s TV station confirmed an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday evening, targeting Hezbollah’s stronghold south of Beirut. The airstrike in the southern suburb of Haret Hreik caused damage to several buildings, but it remains unclear if any Hezbollah official was directly targeted. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to regulations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed a strong retaliation against Hezbollah for the Saturday rocket strike in the Israel-controlled Golan Heights. Meanwhile, tensions remain high within Israel as soldiers face a military court on Tuesday for alleged sexual abuse of a Palestinian prisoner at a facility holding detainees from Gaza. Hard-line nationalists within Netanyahu’s government and others have voiced their opposition.
An investigation by The Associated Press revealed appalling conditions at Sde Teiman, where most of the thousands detained from Gaza are held. Despite the reports, Israeli authorities have consistently denied abuse in detention facilities for Palestinians.
Following Israel’s withdrawal from parts of Khan Younis in Gaza, more bodies and destruction were uncovered. The territory’s Health Ministry reports over 39,300 people killed since Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7th, triggering the ongoing war.
Amidst the crisis, overcrowded tent camps housing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians grapple with rampant diseases and appalling conditions. The sanitation system has collapsed, leaving pools of sewage and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
