Hamas says Israeli strike on Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut is ‘serious escalation’

ISTANBUL

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas condemned Israel's targeting on Tuesday of a Hezbollah headquarters in the Lebanese capital Beirut's southern suburbs, calling it a “dangerous escalation” for which Tel Aviv bears full responsibility for the consequences.

The statement came after Israel launched a strike earlier in the evening on the Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut. Israel claimed it was aimed at a senior military leader within the Lebanese group.

“We strongly condemn the brutal Zionist aggression against Lebanon which targeted a Hezbollah facility in the southern suburbs of Beirut, resulting in the death and injury of several innocent civilians,” Hamas said in a statement.

The group described the Israeli attack as “a serious escalation for which the Nazi Zionist occupation (Israel) is fully responsible.”

The strike was reported in the vicinity of the Hezbollah Shura Council’s headquarters in Haret Hreik, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The country’s health ministry said a woman was killed and 68 others injured in the attack.

The Israeli army confirmed the strike, claiming that it targeted a Hezbollah commander it said was responsible for a missile attack Saturday in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights which killed 12 children.

While Israel blamed Hezbollah for Saturday’s attack, the Lebanese group denied any responsibility.

There was no comment from Hezbollah on the Israeli attack.

Fears have grown about a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between the two sides.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of a deadly Israeli onslaught on Gaza which has killed more than 39,300 people since last October following an attack by Hamas.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio