By The Independent (World News) | Created at 2024-09-27 17:20:21 | Updated at 2024-09-30 05:28:23
2 days ago
The Israeli military said it had carried out a “precise strike” on Hezbollah’s headquarters
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Israeli military strikes in Beirut on Friday reportedly targeted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, following a warning from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel would not tolerate threats from Hezbollah and Hamas.
The airstrikes shook the Lebanese capital, destroying four buildings and causing numerous casualties in the southern suburbs, where Hezbollah’s central headquarters are said to be located.
Israeli sources told multiple outlets that Nasrallah was the intended target of the attack. A source close to Hezbollah told Reuters that Nasrallah is alive, while Iran’s Tasnim news agency also reported he was safe.
The Independent asked whether Nasrallah was present at the headquarters and the Israeli military declined to confirm or deny.
The strikes hit Beirut shortly after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue Israel’s attacks on Iranian-backed fighters in Lebanon in a closely watched United Nations speech, as hopes faded for a ceasefire that could head off an all-out regional war.
He told the assembly: “There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that’s true of the entire Middle East.”
Hezbollah leader Nasrallah was target of strike
Lebanon‘s Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the latest Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, multiple news websites are reporting.
AFP and Iranian state news are both reporting that he is safe and survived the assassination attempt, but still no official word from the group.
Rachel Hagan27 September 2024 17:45
Attacks show Israel ‘does not care’ about global calls for ceasefire, PM says
Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Israel's attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday show it "does not care" about efforts to bring about a ceasefire.
Mikati's press office sent a statement while he was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where the U.S. and other countries had made a call for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Rachel Hagan27 September 2024 17:40
Photos from strike show levelled buildings
Rachel Hagan27 September 2024 17:34
Strike took place around 700m from school where displaced people sheltering
The huge strike in Beirut took place only about 700 to 800m from a school where displaced people from the south of Lebanon have taken refuge, the BBC reports.
Nafiseh Kohnavard was reporting from the school, where more than 1000 displaced people are staying, when she suddenly heard huge booms.
She said women and children were screaming and crying and she saw some people faint, falling on the ground.
Rachel Hagan27 September 2024 17:23
Israel says Hezbollah intentionally built HQ under civilian buildings
Israel’s military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a video statement that the Hezbollah HQ was “intentionally built under residential buildings” in the city’s southern Dahieh area “as part of Hezbollah’s strategy of using Lebanese people as human shields”.
He said: “Israel is doing what every sovereign state in the world would do if they had a terror organisation that seeks their destruction on their border, taking the necessary action to protect our people so that Israeli families can live in their homes, safely and securely.”
Rachel Hagan27 September 2024 17:13
Pictures of the huge strike in Beirut
Rachel Hagan27 September 2024 16:59
Fresh airstrike on Lebanon as Netanyahu claims Israel ‘yearns for peace'
Israeli military says it carried out a “precise strike” on the central headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut.
An airstrikes hit one of Beirut’s heavily-populated southern suburbs on Friday as blasts were heard throughout the Lebanese capital sending thick black smoke billowing across the sky.
The strike came an hour after thousands of people attended the funeral of a top Hezbollah commander who was killed the day before.
Israeli Prime Minister has today told the UN that Israel “yearns for peace” and “will make peace again” but added that it must defend itself against “savage” enemies.
Barney Davis27 September 2024 16:39
More than 700 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli attacks this week as calls for ceasefire grow
Israel will press on with discussions on ceasefire proposals for Lebanon in the days ahead, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday, but after an intense week of fighting the two sides kept up cross-border fire, killing at least 25 in Lebanon.
Israel’s foreign minister on Thursday rejected global calls for a ceasefire with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and continued airstrikes that have killed hundreds of people in Lebanon and heightened fears of a regional war.
Lebanon’s health minister, Firass Abiad, said the death toll in Israeli strikes on Lebanon since the early hours of Friday was 25. One attack killed nine members of a family, including four children, in the border town of Shebaa, mayor Mohammad Saab told Reuters.
More than 700 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli attacks since Monday, according to a tally of official tolls.
Barney Davis27 September 2024 16:18
Diplomats walked out of speech in protest
Cheers were heard through the duration of Netanyahu’s speech but cameras may not have shown the flurry of diplomats leaving the hall in protest, Sky News has said.
International affairs editor Dominic Waghorn witnessed “lots of diplomats” head for the exit during the Israeli prime minister’s speech and videos on X show similar scenes too.
Rachel Hagan27 September 2024 15:48
Netanyahu says Israel will keep ‘degrading Hezbollah’ until its objectives are met
His leadership strained by conflicts on two fronts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told world leaders at the United Nations on Friday that his nation will “continue degrading Hezbollah” until it achieves its goals along the Lebanon border, further dimming hopes for an internationally backed cease-fire to halt the spiral into an all-out regional war.
He said his government would no longer tolerate daily rocket fire from the area. “Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their home safely. And that’s exactly what we’re doing ... we’ll continue degrading Hezbollah until all our objectives are met,” Netanyahu said. “Just imagine if terrorists turned El Paso and San Diego into ghost towns ... How long would the American government tolerate that?” he said, shaking his fist in emphasis. “Yet Israel has been tolerating this intolerable situation for almost a year. Well, I’ve come here today to say: Enough is enough.”
He said Israeli forces have destroyed “90%” of Hamas’ rockets and killed or captured half of its forces.
The Associated Press27 September 2024 15:37
