Israeli Airstrikes in Beirut Target Hezbollah Leader Among Fatalities

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, Oct 10 (Reuters) – A senior Hezbollah official narrowly avoided an Israeli assassination attempt on Thursday in Beirut amid increasing hostilities that killed 22 individuals, raising concerns over rising tensions in the region.

The target of the Israeli airstrikes was Wafiq Safa, who holds a significant role as the head of Hezbollah’s liaison and coordination unit, functioning as a key contact with Lebanese security agencies. Sources confirmed Safa was critically injured but survived the attack, according to Sky News Arabic and Reuters.

The strikes, described as among the deadliest on central Beirut since the initiation of hostilities, hit a densely populated residential neighborhood, causing substantial casualties and destruction. Reports from the Lebanese Health Ministry indicated 22 fatalities and 117 injuries, including a family of eight with three children, as per security sources.

Eyewitness accounts reported by CNN Arabic described an entire residential building collapsing, with many believed to have been inside at the time. Reuters witnesses noted that one strike occurred near a gas station, resulting in visible smoke and flames as rescue efforts unfolded amidst the wreckage.

This recent offensive represents a significant expansion in Israel’s list of targets within Hezbollah, shifting focus from military commanders to influential figures involved in security and political duties like Safa. Safa previously negotiated a prisoner swap deal with Israel in 2008 and has remained a prominent figure in Lebanese politics.

The aftermath of the attack fueled anxieties within the United Nations peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, whose personnel have sustained injuries during ongoing hostilities. UNIFIL’s spokesperson reported increased dangers to its peacekeepers, exacerbated by a recent incident where two peacekeepers from Indonesia were injured.

The United Nations, through peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, expressed alarm over the increased threat to more than 10,400 peacekeepers in Lebanon, labeling attacks on peacekeepers a grave breach of international humanitarian law. The White House mirrored these concerns, demanding explanations from Israel following reports of IDF operations near UN bases.

As the situation unfolds, the United Nations and parties involved are evaluating the security conditions in the region. Israel’s envoy to the UN encouraged relocating peacekeepers to safer territories, while Hezbollah fired back at Israeli forces in a continuing cycle of hostilities.