An Israeli airstrike early Saturday in Beirut failed to eliminate Muhammad Haydar, Hezbollah’s de facto military chief, Saudi outlet Al-Hadath reported, citing Israeli security sources.
Haydar, who rose to prominence after a series of assassinations of top Hezbollah leaders, was reportedly targeted in the strike but was not present in the building.
Hezbollah officials denied Haydar’s presence at the site, telling Al-Hadath that “no senior Hezbollah commander was in the targeted building,” while Lebanese media reported at least 11 deaths and dozens of injuries. The strike destroyed an eight-story residential in central Beirut, with extensive damage reported to adjacent buildings. Civil defense teams were said to be struggling to retrieve victims from the rubble.
Lebanon’s state news agency reported that five bunker-busting bombs were used in the attack, creating a massive crater. Footage from the scene showed widespread destruction, with the targeted building reduced to rubble. Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen reported that the building was “crowded with people” at the time of the attack.
Aftermath of Israeli airstrike on Beirut
The airstrike coincided with rocket fire from Lebanon into northern Israel, triggering air raid sirens in Haifa and surrounding areas. The IDF confirmed interceptions over the city but did not specify the number of rockets launched.
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Earlier in the night, the IDF warned residents in Beirut's Dahieh district to evacuate ahead of planned strikes on Hezbollah targets.
The attack comes amid ongoing negotiations for a potential cease-fire. U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, who returned to Washington after facilitating talks between Israel and Lebanon this week, is reportedly close to finalizing an agreement.
However, sources familiar with the discussions told The New York Times that disagreements over implementation and enforcement mechanisms remain, including Israel's opposition to France’s involvement in monitoring any deal.