Israeli Airstrikes on Beirut Kill Six, Including Senior Hezbollah Official

Israeli airstrikes on Sunday targeted central Beirut, killing six people, including Mohammed Afif, the media relations chief for Hezbollah. The strikes hit the Ras al-Nabaa district and Mar Elias, two densely populated areas, marking a rare escalation in the conflict as strikes on central Beirut have been less frequent.

The first strike, in Ras al-Nabaa, claimed the lives of four people, including Afif, whom Israel described as Hezbollah’s “chief propagandist.” Fourteen others were wounded, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Hezbollah mourned Afif, calling him a “great martyr on the road to Jerusalem.”

In Mar Elias, the second airstrike killed two people and injured 22 others. The targeted area, known for housing displaced individuals, was left smoldering, with rescuers working to extinguish flames and search for survivors. A Lebanese security source reported the strike hit an electronics store and a vehicle, though claims of targeting a Jamaa Islamiya center were denied by the group.

The strikes are part of Israel’s intensified military campaign in Lebanon since the onset of the conflict on September 23. Over 200 targets have been hit since Saturday morning, according to the Israeli military. In Lebanon’s southern Tyr region, airstrikes on Sunday killed 11 people and wounded 48.

The escalation prompted Lebanon’s education ministry to close schools and universities in Beirut for two days, as residents expressed fear over the growing violence. “Nowhere in the country is safe anymore,” said Lina, a resident of Mar Elias.

This latest escalation underscores the severe toll the conflict has taken on civilian lives and infrastructure in Lebanon, with tensions continuing to rise.