Israeli military officials have reported that a major bombing attack took place in Beirut over where intelligence information indicated that Hezbollah headquarters were located. Reports indicated that up to six buildings inside Beirut, Lebanon were destroyed. Social media channels from the Middle East and beyond were busy on Friday with different reports.
Video from the bombing site showed massive amounts of rubble and emergency workers digging to rescue anyone left alive. Reports also indicated that the buildings hit were residential ones. The target of Israel’s attack reportedly was Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Conflicting reports on Friday indicated either that Nasrallah was killed, slightly injured or still alive.
Early Saturday morning local time, bombings continued reportedly in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Internet news outlet Agenda TV was showing live camera views of Beirut as a new wave of bombings were taking place. It’s a very densely populated area.
Israel Aimed For Nasrallah in Beirut
The Associated Press reported that three top Israeli TV channels confirmed that Nasrallah was the key target. But these reports were not totally confirmed by the wire service.
In the wake of this attack, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV reported on Friday night local time that four buildings in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Dahiyeh were reduced to rubble. Israeli army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari did indicate that Israel targeted the main Hezbollah headquarters.
BREAKING
The Israeli Defense Forces have confirmed that they’ve carried out a significant bombing in Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut.
Now, Fox News is reporting that the target of this bombing was Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah.
If Nasrallah has indeed been targeted… pic.twitter.com/Owofxu5m8C
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) September 27, 2024
Netanyahu Spoke at United Nations
The attacks on Beirut happened just after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Netanyahu, in his speech, said that his country’s campaign against Hezbollah would keep going. The prime minister’s comments didn’t give many people listening hope that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah would end soon.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is Lebanon’s strongest armed force. It started sending rockets toward Israel right after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. But there has been a continuing back-and-forth between both parties nearly every day. Video cameras aimed across key Middle East areas have picked up tit-for-tat rocket attacks.
In a sign of how important this situation is, Netanyahu is returning home on Friday night. Netanyahu’s office made the announcement after the strike took place. Before this happened, Netanyahu planned to stay in the United States until Saturday night at the end of the Jewish sabbath.
It is extremely rare for Jewish politicians to travel on the sabbath. This only underscores the seriousness of this matter for Israel.
As far as the United States response, an unconfirmed report from Channel 14 Israel indicated that President Joe Biden is directing the Pentagon to prepare for a regional war in the Middle East.
Where does Hezbollah stand on this situation with Israel? Hezbollah in Beirut leader Hussein Fadlallah made a recent speech. In it, Fadlallah said that the group has experienced fighters ready to take up the call. He also vowed that Hezbollah will continue fighting until Israel ends its ongoing offensive in Gaza.
“We will not abandon the support of Palestine, Jerusalem and oppressed Gaza,” Fadlallah said. “There is no place for neutrality in this battle.”
As recovery efforts are underway in Beirut, reports have indicated that there will be more military activity to come. Israel and Hezbollah are continuing to ratchet up their language and attacks. Friday’s attack in Beirut marks a major shift in the military strategy for this conflict.
Israel dramatically intensified its airstrikes in Lebanon this week, saying it is determined to put an end to more than 11 months of Hezbollah fire into its territory. The escalated campaign has killed more than 720 people in Lebanon, including dozens of women and children, according to Health Ministry statistics. A predawn strike Friday in the mainly Sunni border town of Chebaa killed nine members of the same family, the state news agency said.
According to Eliana Johnson on X/Twitter, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the United States had nothing to do with Israeli strikes and did not get a heads up. Johnson also added that Austin appeared to be aggravated when speaking with reporters. Vice President Kamala Harris has been kept up to date with Friday’s bombings.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has not made an official comment on this event. In the past, Trump has verbally issued supportive statements of Israel.
Beirut has been a central point for Middle East violence in the past. With its citizens seeing what happened on Friday, there’s probably a chance that it only gets worse.
This is a breaking news story from Total Apex Herald. This story was updated at 6:54 p.m. EST. More information will be provided in the coming hours.
