The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it conducted an airstrike on Friday, resulting in the death of Hassan Nasrallah, the long-time leader of Hezbollah. The attack targeted what Israel described as the central headquarters of the Iran-backed militant group near Beirut.
In addition to Nasrallah, the Israeli military reported that several Hezbollah commanders were also killed in the strikes. According to Al Jazeera, Israeli army also killed Ali Karaki, the commander of the southern front of the organisation, and a number of other Hezbollah leaders.
While Hezbollah has yet to respond to these claims, the potential confirmation of Nasrallah’s death could mark a significant escalation in Israel’s ongoing campaign against the organization, which has intensified over the past two weeks and raises concerns about a wider regional conflict.
According to AFP, the a Hezbollah official said on September 28 that contact had been lost since last evening with chief Hassan Nasrallah, after Israel said it had ‘eliminated’ him in a strike on the group’s southern Beirut bastion.
Multiple air raids target residential apartment buildings in attack that is described as “unprecedented”, with children reported among those killed. More than 700 people killed across Lebanon since Israel intensified a bombing campaign on Monday.