Israeli army neither confirms nor denies targeting of Hezbollah leader in Beirut attack

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army on Friday refused to confirm or deny reports that its recent airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut was aimed at Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine.

The significant nighttime attack has raised questions regarding its intended target, particularly amid speculation that Safieddine was being considered as a successor to Hezbollah’s slain leader Hassan Nasrallah.

According to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, the Israeli Air Force conducted the attack using fighter jets, dropping approximately 73 tons of munitions on what was described as Hezbollah’s main intelligence headquarters in Beirut's southern suburb.

However, the army has declined to comment on the presence of Hezbollah officials during the strike or to confirm whether Safieddine was indeed the target of the operation.

The airstrike followed Israeli warnings to local residents in several areas of the suburb, urging them to evacuate their homes.

Reports from Israeli media suggested that Safieddine was present in a bunker at the time of the attack, but it remains unclear whether the assassination attempt was successful.

Channel 12 reported that the attack aimed at Safieddine highlights the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and the delicate balance of power in the region.

Analysts warn that tensions could further escalate, impacting stability in Lebanon and beyond.

Hezbollah has not commented specifically on the strike. However, the incident comes just a week after the head of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli attack.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since Israeli war on Gaza began on Oct. 7 last year, which has killed nearly 41,800 people, most of them women and children.

In Israeli attacks on Lebanon, at least 1,947 people have since been killed, nearly 9,400 injured, and 1.2 million others displaced, according to Lebanese authorities.

The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi​​​​​​​​​​​​​​