Aftermath of IDF airstrike on Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut's Dahieh
Israel has “crossed all lines” with its attack on Hezbollah's command center in Beirut’s Dahieh district Friday, a Hezbollah parliamentary source told Qatari newspaper The New Arab but vowed it would not destabilize the organization.
The powerful strike, which reportedly targeted Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, killed at least two people and injured 76 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
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Aftermath of IDF airstrike on Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut's Dahieh
(Photo: Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
Search efforts for survivors continued in the area amid widespread anger in Lebanon. Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abyad said that some of the targeted buildings were occupied by residents, and Lebanese media reported that the strike was carried out by F-35 fighter jets while civilian aircraft were landing and taking off at the nearby Rafic Hariri International Airport, posing a serious risk to passengers.
Khalil Nasrallah, a commentator close to Hezbollah, suggested on social media that the “rules of the game have changed.” The airstrike, aimed at Hezbollah’s central command, has raised questions in Israel about whether Nasrallah was present at the time and his fate.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency and Sky News Arabia reported that Hezbollah sources claim Nasrallah is alive and in a secure location. However, an Iranian official told Reuters that “Tehran is assessing his condition.” A U.S. official told ABC News that Nasrallah and his deputies were in Beirut for a “brief visit” during the attack.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who authorized the strike while in the U.S., abruptly left a press briefing following his speech at the UN General Assembly after being approached by his military secretary. The Prime Minister’s Office later announced that Netanyahu would cut his trip short and return to Israel, departing the U.S. at 3 a.m. Israel time.
The Pentagon said that Israel did not notify the U.S. of the strike in advance, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant informed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the operation.
IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the command center was located beneath residential buildings in the Hezbollah stronghold. Reports from Lebanon indicated around 10 explosions were heard, and at least six buildings were destroyed in the strike.
Footage from the scene showed extensive damage, with the Lebanese news agency reporting that the attacks created a “belt of fire” from Burj Barajneh to Haret Hreik.
A Lebanese security source confirmed to Al Arabiya that this was the most significant Israeli assault on southern Beirut since the beginning of hostilities, targeting an area frequently used by senior Hezbollah officials.