Shortly after four o’clock in the afternoonwhen in Israel was about to begin Sabbathin the area of at the Jamussuburb of Beirut and headquarters from Hezbollahall hell broke loose. Two missiles precision fired from a huntinga F35 Lebanese security said they hit a building residential: in an environment created underground there was the military chief of Hezbollah – and close confidant of Hassan Nasrallah – Ibrahim Aqil and its commanders. According to the army Israeliwere all killed, at least ten besides Aqil.
The photos published on sites in Middle East show what remains of the building multi-storey, that is rubblesmoke and dust. According to the authorities Lebanesewho initially spoke of children among the dead, there would be 12 victims and almost 70 injured. The Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant he commented on the latest events by speaking of a “new phase of the war”, giving substance to the concept expressed by an anonymous official with Walla: a diplomatic solution is not in sight for the moment and therefore “Israel has taken off its gloves with Hezbollah“. As if to say, the escalation is already underway, it is this, with these methods, and there will be no boots on the groundat least for the moment. As confirmed by theIdfclarifying that after the attack on Beirut does not intend to widen the conflict.
In short, first with the thousands of explosions of pager and devices wirelessnow with the targeted assassination of military leaders, the strategy of theIdf and of the Mossad seems to want to avoid a new large front on the northern border. Today’s attack was the third by the Israeli Air Force in Lebanon since the beginning of the war. In July, a raid eliminated the number 2 and chief of staff of the pro-Iranian Shiite group Fuad ShukrIn January it was the turn of the deputy leader of Hamas, Saleh al-Arouriwho at that time was in the Lebanese capital. Aqilwhich according to theIdf had taken the place of Shukr as chief of staff, had just been released from hospital after his pager exploded, injuring him last Tuesday.
The meeting of the military leaders of the Party of God to decide on new moves against Israel was unsuccessful: another hard blow to the Shiite militiamen who have been planning for years “the 7th of October of Galilee“. A plan to occupy the north of the Jewish state, raid, kidnap and kill as many civilians as possible, accused the spokesman of theIdf after the army had already confirmed responsibility for the raid.
The day was also particularly difficult for the communities of Golan and the northern territories, which have been targeted by at least one person since the morning 200 rockets launched from the Lebanon. The town of Metullaat the border, was hit by missiles Flakproducts in Iran: the same type as the one that killed 12 children and adolescents in July Druze to Majdal ShamsIn the Golan. In the 350th day of warhalf of the houses of Metulla It is damaged by rockets, many are completely destroyed. Hezbollah He also announced that he had targeted with rockets Katyusha «the main headquarters of theintelligence” Of Jerusalem in the northern region in response to attacks in the south of Lebanon. But at the moment there is no confirmation. TheIdf for its part, it continued to respond by destroying launchers of missiles in the south of Lebanon and “structures terrorist».
In a very brief statement late in the evening, the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented by saying that “the objectives are clear and the actions speak for themselves”. USA they backed out, claiming they had not been informed of the attack on Beirut. But the president Joe Biden said his administration is working to enable the thousands of displaced persons Israelis and the inhabitants of the south of Lebanon to return to their homes after almost a year. He added that “he will not give up his efforts for a truce in Gaza». Hamas Instead he condemned the “brutal” attack on Beirutin step with theIranwho stigmatized the “Israeli madness”. «The regime Zionist will suffer a destructive response from the front of the resistence“, threatened the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salamiin a letter sent to Nasrallah.