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Israel Believes Hezbollah Senior Commander Killed in Beirut Strike, Israeli Media Report Say
Israel believes its air strike on Beirut killed a senior commander of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah on Tuesday, according to reports from Israel’s public broadcaster. The strike is said to be in retaliation for a cross-border rocket attack three days ago that killed 12 youngsters.
A loud blast was heard, and a plume of smoke was seen rising above Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, around 7:40 p.m. (1640 GMT). Two unidentified sources informed Israeli public broadcaster Kan that Israel assessed that “the target of the strike” was killed.
The Israeli military stated that the target was the Hezbollah militant responsible for a rocket strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday, which killed 12 youth playing football in the Druze village of Majdal Shams. Two security sources in Lebanon identified the target as Muhsin Shukr, also known as Fuad Shukr, head of Hezbollah’s operations centre. They reported that he was critically injured in the attack near Hezbollah’s Shura Council in the Haret Hreik neighbourhood.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad told Reuters that the strike also killed another person and injured 35, three of them critically.
Hezbollah has denied involvement in the Golan attack but confirmed that the group fired rockets at a military target in the Golan Heights. The killing of the youths has prompted high-level Western diplomatic efforts to avert a major escalation that could inflame the wider Middle East.
The Israeli military has issued no new civil defence instructions in Israel, possibly indicating that it does not plan further strikes immediately. Channel 12 TV quoted an unnamed official saying that Israel did not want an all-out war.
Israeli media reported that, depending on Hezbollah’s reaction, the military considered the Beirut strike as concluding its response to the Golan Heights attack. Analyst Mohanad Hage Ali from the Carnegie Middle East Center suggested that Hezbollah would have to respond, potentially by targeting a major city like Haifa on Israel’s northern coast.
Throughout the day, approximately 25 rockets were launched from southern Lebanon into northern Israel, according to the Israeli military. Medics reported that a 30-year-old man in the cooperative community of Kibbutz Hagoshrim was killed.
In a devastating incident in eastern India, at least 46 people, including 37 children and seven women, have drowned while celebrating the Hindu Jivitputrika festival. The fatalities, which occurred across 15 districts within the past 24 hours, resulted from victims ritually bathing in rivers and ponds swollen by recent flooding.
The three-day festival, which honors children’s wellbeing, is traditionally marked by mothers fasting and families participating in ritual baths. This year, the swollen water bodies, exacerbated by recent floods, have turned the celebratory ritual into a deadly disaster.
Local disaster management officials have expressed fears that the death toll could rise further. State authorities have promised compensation for the families and relatives of the victims.
Fatal accidents during religious festivals are not uncommon in India, where large gatherings often take place with insufficient safety measures. This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by such gatherings, especially during adverse weather conditions.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted airstrikes in Beirut, reportedly killing Mohammad Hussein Surur, a senior Hezbollah air unit leader. The Lebanese health ministry confirmed two deaths and 15 injuries from the attack. The strikes come amid escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah, with both sides exchanging fire throughout the night and into the morning.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the IDF would continue to fight “with full force” against Hezbollah, aiming to dismantle the Iran-backed militant group. This marks a significant intensification of hostilities between the two sides, which have been exchanging rockets and airstrikes for days. The Lebanese health ministry also reported that 28 people were killed today by Israeli airstrikes.
In retaliation, Hezbollah launched 80 missiles targeting northern Israeli cities, including Safed. Israeli authorities have reported no casualties but noted significant property damage in Safed and Rosh Pina.
Amid the intensifying conflict, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin renewed calls for a diplomatic solution. The U.S., along with 11 other allied nations, has urged both Israel and Hezbollah to agree to a ceasefire to prevent further escalation and civilian casualties.
Ferry travel between the Isle of Man and Lancashire continues to face disruption due to strong winds over the Irish Sea. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has cancelled Thursday’s 08:45 BST sailing of the Manxman to Heysham and its scheduled 14:15 return journey. This follows the cancellation of the vessel’s return trip from the Lancashire port on Wednesday evening.
The disruptions have affected postal services, with the Isle of Man Post Office reporting delays in deliveries from the UK. While local deliveries within the island remain unaffected, items posted on Wednesday for UK delivery may not reach Royal Mail’s network in time for Friday delivery.
Additionally, the ferry cancellations have caused a delay in newspaper deliveries, with no papers available on the island on Thursday, as confirmed by the island’s wholesale distributor.
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