On Tuesday, Israel once again clashed fiercely with Hezbollah. Israel stated that its military carried out an airstrike on a residential building in southern Beirut, resulting in the death of a senior commander responsible for Hezbollah’s missile and rocket units.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the death of Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Qubaisi. The IDF further mentioned that during the attack, other key commanders of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket units were also targeted in the airstrike location, but it did not disclose whether others were killed or injured.
The IDF stated that Qubaisi commanded various missile units of Hezbollah, including precision missile units. He was described as a “knowledge hub in the missile field and had close ties with Hezbollah’s senior military leadership.”
Israel Defense Forces pointed out that as part of his responsibilities within the terrorist organization, Qubaisi was involved in planning and carrying out numerous terrorist plots against IDF forces and Israeli civilians.
Israel’s intelligence and technological capabilities have given it an advantage in Lebanon and Gaza. The IDF has been tracking and assassinating senior Hezbollah commanders and Hamas leaders.
Over the past week, Hezbollah has faced a series of setbacks at the hands of Israel, with the Tuesday attack dealing another heavy blow to the organization. Israel subsequently announced that it was conducting “widespread strikes” against Hezbollah targets.
Israel is shifting its focus from Gaza to the northern border, as Hezbollah has been launching rockets into Israel in support of Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would continue to target Hezbollah objectives and urged Lebanese citizens to break free from the control of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
He warned from an undisclosed military base location, “Anyone who stores missiles in their living room or rockets in their garage will have no home.” Previously, the IDF reported finding ammunition in residential homes in Lebanon.
“Our war is not against you; our war is against Hezbollah. Nasrallah is leading you to the edge of the abyss… for your own good, break free from Nasrallah’s control,” Israel appealed.
Israel has accused Hezbollah of storing weapons in Lebanese residences and villages, an accusation denied by Hezbollah.
Lebanese authorities reported that Monday’s airstrike resulted in 558 deaths, including 50 children and 94 women, with 1,835 individuals injured and thousands displaced.
On Tuesday, Israel launched a new round of airstrikes on Lebanese targets, hitting Hezbollah-controlled areas in Beirut for a second consecutive day. Hezbollah claimed to have fired rockets into northern Israel earlier on Tuesday.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health stated that an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s Ghobeiri district killed at least 6 people and injured 15.
Hezbollah announced on Telegram that it used new Fadi 3 rockets to attack an Israeli military base.
Israel’s military mentioned that on Monday, they targeted 1,600 Hezbollah objectives, destroying cruise missiles, long-range and short-range rockets, as well as attack drones hidden in private residences. Lebanese officials stated that many of the casualties were civilians, including over 90 women and children killed.
Israel estimates that Hezbollah possesses around 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided missiles capable of striking any part of Israel.
Established by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in 1982 to resist Israeli invasion into Lebanon, Hezbollah is considered a more formidable enemy than Hamas.
As tensions escalate in the Middle East, there are increasing calls from the international community for diplomatic solutions. UN human rights official Volker Turk urged all nations and influential actors to prevent further escalation of the situation in Lebanon.
White House National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan told MSNBC that he believes there is still a way forward to de-escalate the situation and seek diplomatic resolutions.
Nearly a year of cross-border firepower has left communities near the Israel-Lebanon border deserted, with tens of thousands displaced on both sides. Israel has vowed to make every effort to ensure citizens can return to their northern homes, while Hezbollah has stated it will continue rocket attacks until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Israeli military stated that there are currently no plans for a ground invasion, but preparations have been made. Previously, Israel shifted thousands of elite troops from Gaza to the northern border. Since October last year, Hezbollah has launched about 9,000 rockets and drones at Israel, with 250 launched on Monday alone.
The ongoing conflict has raised concerns that the United States (an ally of Israel) and Iran (which has proxies such as Hezbollah, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and armed groups in Iraq) could be drawn into a broader war.