37 individuals, including three children and seven women, have died as a result of an Israeli strike in Beirut that was intended to target Ibrahim Aqil, a top Hezbollah leader. Concerns about rising tensions in the region have been expressed by US and UN officials in response to this strike.
The strike happened in a heavily populated neighborhood at rush hour, when lots of people were making their way home. The building above the damaged underground bunker was brought down by the attack.
Israeli airspace was restricted in the aftermath of the strike, perhaps due to Hezbollah's threat of reprisals. Because of Aqil's murder, the notoriously skilled military organization has been on high alert.
Fires started on Saturday afternoon following rocket launches from Lebanon, suggesting that tensions had escalated.
Aegean, Turkish Airlines, and Air France were among the major airlines that canceled flights to Beirut, indicating the growing concern that the recent events would lead to a full-scale conflict in the region.
Israeli soldiers reportedly killed at least 22 people and injured 30, including women and children, when they struck a Gaza school that had been turned into a shelter on the same day as the Beirut strike.
The Israeli military asserted that the school was being utilized as a Hamas base, but it offered no supporting information or documentation.
Since Hezbollah has been targeting these areas on a daily basis, Israel last week declared its desire to broaden its military objectives in Gaza, including letting 60,000 residents of northern Israel to return home.
Israel launched an unparalleled campaign of military strikes against Hezbollah, resulting in civilian casualties, such as the explosion of thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah militants.
Subsequent attacks involved walkie-talkies and an intense bombing campaign in southern Lebanon, culminating in the strike on Aqil.
This series of operations has been described as a demonstration of Israel's military and intelligence capabilities, significantly damaging Hezbollah's leadership and operational capacity.
However, analysts have cautioned that the long-term implications of these actions remain uncertain, despite the immediate tactical successes.
Both Israel and Hezbollah are believed to be reluctant to engage in further escalation, although the former head of Israel's National Security Council noted that the margin for avoiding such a conflict is "very, very narrow."
Retired Major General Giora Eiland stated, “I don’t think [Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah] is interested in total war, but at the same time he cannot avoid a response.”
Eiland emphasized the challenge for Hezbollah in finding a response that would not lead to a broader conflict, noting, “The question is: can he find something creative enough that ... it will not drag both sides to total war?”
He added that any conflict with Hezbollah could be “probably the most painful we ever had” for Israel.
The UN political affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, echoed these concerns, warning of the potential fallout from a broader conflict. She cautioned, “We risk seeing a conflagration that could dwarf even the devastation and suffering witnessed so far.”
DiCarlo called for urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation, urging member states to leverage their influence to de-escalate tensions.
In the US, Brett McGurk, President Joe Biden’s top adviser on the Middle East, emphasized that while Washington supports Israel's defense against Hezbollah, it does not believe that military action will restore life to northern Israel.
McGurk remarked, “We do not think a war in Lebanon is the way to achieve the objective to return people to their homes,” indicating a preference for diplomatic solutions.
He noted that the US has disagreements with Israel regarding tactics and the assessment of escalation risks, stating, “It is a very concerning situation.”
In the ongoing conflict, more than 500 people have died in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes, the majority of whom were fighters with Hezbollah, but also over 100 civilians. The violence has transformed Israel's border regions with Lebanon into a perilous zone for ordinary life.
