A precision Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed Ibrahim Qubaisi, a top Hezbollah commander, on Tuesday, further fueling fears of an all-out war in the Middle East. Israel’s military identified Qubaisi as the head of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket force, responsible for launching attacks against Israeli territory.
“Hezbollah today is not the same Hezbollah we knew a week ago. (It) has suffered a sequence of blows to its command and control, its fighters, and the means to fight,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated, addressing Israeli troops. “These are all severe blows.”
The Israeli military conducted “extensive strikes” on Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon, targeting weapons storage facilities and dozens of launchers aimed at Israeli territory.
Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad reported 569 people had been killed and 1,835 wounded since Israel launched heavy strikes on Monday morning, including 50 children.
Hezbollah retaliated with rocket attacks on Israel’s Dado military base in northern Israel and the Atlit naval base south of Haifa, using drones. Sirens sounded in the northern city of Safed and nearby areas as tensions escalated.
The Israeli military’s latest offensive against Hezbollah has stoked fears that nearly a year of conflict between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza could destabilize the entire Middle East.
At the United Nations, U.S. President Joe Biden sought to calm Mideast tensions, emphasizing the need for a diplomatic solution.
“Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest, even if a situation has escalated,” President Biden told the 193-member U.N. General Assembly. “A diplomatic solution is still possible.”
The international community remains concerned about the escalating violence and its potential consequences for regional stability.
Boluwatife Enome
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