Senior Hezbollah Commander Killed in Israeli Strike on Beirut Suburb
A senior commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force was killed Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, marking the first strike on the area in nearly a month, according to a source close to the group.
The source, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, identified the commander as Malek Ballout, described as the operations commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan force.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the target, saying the military had struck “the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan force.”
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli warplanes targeted the Ghobeiri district in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hezbollah.
An AFP correspondent at the scene saw a heavily damaged building reduced to rubble as residents evacuated the area carrying their belongings.
A Lebanese security source said the strike hit an apartment where Radwan force leaders were reportedly meeting.
The attack was the first Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs since April 8, when large-scale bombardments across Lebanon killed more than 350 people.
Many residents of the southern suburbs had already fled after Hezbollah became involved in the regional conflict in March and had not returned despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 17.
The latest strike came as US President Donald Trump said there was “a very good chance” of reaching a peace agreement with Iran.
Casualties Rise Across Lebanon
Elsewhere in Lebanon, at least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern and eastern regions, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
In the southern town of Saksakiyeh, four people were killed and 33 wounded, including six children and four women.
The NNA also reported additional strikes across southern Lebanon, including attacks on the town of Yater.
Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 2,700 people and displaced over one million residents, particularly in southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
WHO Reports Attacks on Healthcare Facilities
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that the agency had verified 152 attacks on healthcare facilities, resulting in 103 deaths and 241 injuries.
“These attacks have resulted in the closure of three hospitals and 41 primary health centres and caused damage to a further 16 hospitals,” he said.
Israel has continued airstrikes in Lebanon despite the ceasefire, particularly in the south, while Hezbollah has launched retaliatory attacks against Israeli forces.
Under the ceasefire terms, Israel is permitted to act against what it describes as “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks” by Hezbollah.
During a visit to Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said Israeli forces would “seize every opportunity to deepen the dismantling of Hezbollah and continue weakening it.
